The Flying Star
by Featheredwing
Summary: When Foxwhisker recieves an ominous message from StarClan, Shadefrost must travel with him to the mountains, a dangerous place where she will find... and lose more than she ever imagined. Sequel to the Shade of WoodClan.
1. Prologue

**Ok, hi!**

**This is my new fic. It is a sequel so I suggest that before you read it, you do the following things: Go to my profile, click on the Shade of WoodClan, Read the Shade of WoodClan, review the Shade of WoodClan.**

**You never know, this might make sense without reading the prequel but I highly doubt it. **

**Anyhoo, on with the fic:)**

Nothing stirred in the forest; Lark made sure of that. He slid through the trees like a liquid shadow. Nothing heard his pawsteps on the frozen ground, not even a mouse. But Lark's calm demeanour was deceiving. Inside, he was raging.

The trees thinned in front of him and he found himself stalking down a hill, clear of all shrubs. There was a stone wall at the bottom of the slope but that was no obstacle for Lark. He quietly cleared the wall, his huge size allowing him to step over it in one fluid motion.

On the other side of the wall, less trees were visible, a few scattered irregularly over the marshy ground. Lark shrugged. So what if there was less cover; he wasn't worried about other animals. Not even a badger could take him down. He wasn't weak, unlike his brother Cloud.

Cloud had been killed, just a few hours beforehand. No, not by a badger or a dog or even a fox. He had met his end at the paws of two _puny _she-cats that couldn't have been much older than four seasons. In Lark's opinion, you couldn't get much weaker than that.

Lark felt no grief at his brother's passing, just a burning rage. Cloud had promised him so much that now could not possibly be fulfilled. Broken promises surrounded his brother, they always had. Cloud had always promised something to Lark, most of the time something that he couldn't get, to enlist his brother's services. Lark had never felt any pleasure in killing other cats. Cloud was the blood-thirsty one, the one who had to invade and slaughter. He could never just _be_.

Lark shook his massive head and banished thoughts of his brother from it. Cloud was gone. He could do what he wanted now. Lark looked up at the upcoming mountains and smiled. The mountains would be good for him, a new start, in the only place in the world that made him feel small.

* * *

Not that far away, in WoodClan's warriors den, Foxwhisker shifted in his sleep. He was dreaming.

He padded along a narrow pathway, surrounded by huge slabs of rock, his light ginger fur puffed up against the cold. The place was marked by a single fir tree and a stream that trickled rapidly down the path. Foxwhisker had no control over where his paws were taking him and his stomach gave a sickening jolt when they jumped up to land on a precarious stone ledge, several metres above solid ground.

From here, he could see where he really was. He was in the mountain range that lay just across from WaterClan's territory. The peaks towered many, many foxlengths above his head, their entire forms covered with the snow and ice that came with the season of Leafbare.

Suddenly, his paws crept quietly forward, stopping where the ledge disappeared into a sheer, vertical drop. Trembling, Foxwhisker peered over the edge and gasped.

Down below, in the space between two tall mountains, several cats were gathered. Their coats were thick and long to help them survive in the harsh mountain conditions. As he watched, one of the cats, a white tom, lifted his head to look at Foxwhisker, his blue eyes hostile and challenging. With a flick of his tail, he summoned two other cats to his side. Foxwhisker watched, horrified, as the white tom and his companions climbed up the cliff using rocks that jutted out of precipice. They ascended with amazing dexterity and agility, well more than even the swiftest cats in WoodClan. They were headed straight for him.

Foxwhisker was no match for all three cats at once. He tried to flee but his paws were not paying any attention. Panicking, he watched the cats draw closer and closer until it would only take them one more leap to slice their claws over his throat.

The scene suddenly blacked out and Foxwhisker could not see anything, not even his own body. A voice like thunder rumbled in his ears. "_You_ must go to the mountains, Foxwhisker, and help the flying star reach his full potential. But, beware a stripe of snow, for it is hiding something. Something unexpected and...familiar."

Foxwhisker felt fear and confusion at these words. "But why? Why me?" he tried to shout but his voice did not sound in the crushing darkness.

"You _must_ go," the voice echoed over and over again, until it eventually died away.

Foxwhisker's eyes snapped open.

**Ok, so that's the prologue:)**

**Yeah, I know, I suck at messages from StarClan but... yeah.**

**I'll post the alligances on the next page!**


	2. Allegiances

**Ok so here's the alligances:)**

**Just so you know, the cats of the mountains come in later in the fic and it'll be explained why they have off-cannon clan names.**

**Woodclan**

**Leader**

**Fallenstar** – Majestic grey tom with flecks of black.

**Deputy**

**Hollyfrost** – Long-haired grey tabby she-cat with green eyes.

**Medicine cat**

**Swallowfeather** – Blue-black she-cat.

**Apprentice, Silkpaw.**

**Warriors**

**Rootheart** – Vicious brown tom with a greying muzzle.

**Swiftclaw** – Sly black tom with white paws.

**Shrewfur** – Sleek tabby tom with a glossy brown coat.

**Sootwhisker** – Skinny black tom.

**Apprentice, Lilacpaw.**

**Icestorm** – Pale grey and white tabby she-cat.

**Apprentice, Lynxpaw.**

**Minkclaw **– Pretty brown she-cat.

**Ratclaw** – Muscular dark grey tom.

**Apprentice, Venompaw.**

**Foxwhisker** – Tall, light ginger tom with light blue eyes.

**Creekfall**- Grey tom with flecks of black.

**Shadowheart** – Black she-cat with one white paw.

**Shadefrost** – Black and white she-cat with red-tipped tail.

**Finchwing** – Beautiful silver and black tabby she-cat.

**Apprentices**

**Silkpaw** – White she-cat (medicine cat apprentice.)

**Venompaw** – Muscular dark grey tabby tom.

**Lilacpaw** – Light brown tabby she-cat with lilac eyes.

**Lynxpaw** – Golden tom with amber eyes.

**Queens**

**Lilyface** – Golden she-cat. (Kitted, two kits, Emberkit and Sagekit.)(Father, Whitepelt dead.)

**Breezewing **- Beautiful pale grey she-cat with pale blue eyes. (Kitted, three kits, Dewkit, Wispkit and Rainkit)(Father Fallenstar.)(Also suckling Fembrook's [dead] kits, Mintkit and Webkit. Father Blackwing, CaveClan warrior.)

**Kits**

**Emberkit** – Pretty pale ginger she-kit with pale green eyes.

**Sagekit** – Small white she-kit with amber eyes. (Allergic to meat.)

**Dewkit **– Pale grey she-kit with white paws and pale blue eyes.

**Rainkit **- Pale grey tom with white flecks and pale blue eyes.

**Wispkit** – Dark grey tabby tom with dark blue eyes.

**Webkit** – Black and white tom.

**Mintkit**- Grey tabby she-kit.

**Elders**

**Rosefoot** – Brown she-cat missing a paw.

**Thistlesoul **– Snappy ginger tom with moss woven into his hair.

**WaterClan**

**Leader**

**Ripplestar** – Swift blue-grey tabby she cat. (Is mute so can't speak.)

**Deputy**

**Whiteclaw **– Handsome black tom.

**Medicine cat**

**Lizardtail** – Black tom with no hair on his tail.

**Warriors**

**Softear** – White tom with a fuzzy pelt.

**Quietwhisker** – Wiry brown she-cat.

**Apprentice, Featherpaw.**

**Strawclaw** – Big blonde tom.

**Apprentice, Splashpaw. **

**Blastpelt **– Tall ginger tom.

**Poolheart** – Handsome dark grey tom with dark blue eyes.

**Sunfur **– Dappled brown she-cat.

**Apprentices**

**Featherpaw** – Silvery-grey she cat with a long flowing coat.

**Splashpaw** – Black and grey tom.

**Queens**

**Cleareye** – Grey tabby she-cat with strange white eyes. (Kitted, three kits, Poppykit, Basilkit and Whiskerkit.) (Father, Moonyfoot, dead.)

**Dropfur** – Beautiful grey she-cat. (Kitted, two kits, Silverkit and Fernkit.)(Father, Softear.)

**Kits**

**Poppykit** – Pretty white she-kit.

**Basilkit** – Dark grey tom with brown paws.

**Whiskerkit** – Pale grey she-kit with blue eyes.

**Silverkit** – Beautiful she-kit with a silvery pelt.

**Fernkit**- Brown tabby tom.

**Elders**

**Cindertail** – Very old grey tabby tom.

**Greenheart** – Small grey she-cat.

**CaveClan**

**Leader**

**Polarstar** – Black tom with a white tipped tail.

**Deputy**

**Scorchstorm** – Black and white tortoiseshell she-cat.

**Apprentice, Weaselpaw.**

**Medicine cat**

**Nightfur** – Pure black tom.

**Apprentice, Moonpaw.**

**Warriors**

**Talltail **– Black and grey tortoiseshell tom.

**Apprentice, Smokepaw.**

**Blackwing** – Black and white tom.

**Slashclaw** – Black tom with huge claws.

**Frostfang** – Black and white she-cat with long fangs that curve over her lower lip.

**Apprentice, Jagpaw.**

**Duskpool** – Small black tabby she-cat.

**Bloodspill** – White tom with black paws, ears and tail and blood red eyes.

**Apprentice, Bonepaw. **

**Sparklepelt **– White she-cat with grey paws, ears and tail.

**Apprentice, Spiderpaw.**

**Apprentices**

**Moonpaw** – Light grey she-cat with white front paws and black hind paws. (Medicine cat apprentice.)

**Weaselpaw** – Feisty grey she-cat.

**Smokepaw** – Muscular grey tom with long claws.

**Spiderpaw** – Small black tom with long claws.

**Jagpaw**- Tiny grey tabby she-cat.

**Bonepaw** – White tabby tom with icy blue eyes.

**Queens**

**Talonclaw** – Pale grey she-cat with dark eyes. (Kitted, four kits, Darkkit, Blazekit, Wolfkit and Sparrowkit.)(Father, Talltail)

**Kits**

**Darkkit **– Black tom with a brown paw.

**Blazekit** – Light grey she-kit with amber eyes.

**Wolfkit** – Dark grey long-haired tom.

**Sparrowkit**- Dark brown, almost black, she-kit.

**Elders**

**Lichenfur** – Small grey tom with lichen woven into his fur.

**Shortstep** – Small grey she-cat.

**Cats of the Mountains**

**All of these cats have long hair to withstand the cold mountain winds.**

**Upper circle (senior warriors)**

**Shootingwind** – White tom with blue eyes.

**Apprentice, Bladepaw.**

**Whitelightning **– Strong black tom with a white paw.

**Whisperingleaves** – Brown tabby tom.

**Healing circle (medicine cat)**

**Silverbird **– Stunning silver she-cat.

**Middle circle (normal warriors)**

**Frostedwing **– Pure white she-cat with blue eyes.

**Apprentice, Ridgepaw.**

**Ripfire** – Beautiful ginger she-cat.

**Apprentice, Fellpaw.**

**Nightstorm **– Long-clawed black tabby tom.

**Snowtiger** – Black and white tabby she-cat with black paws.

**Lower circle (Apprentices)**

**Bladepaw** – Long-clawed black tabby tom with startling green eyes.

**Ridgepaw** – Pretty grey she-cat.

**Fellpaw** – Tall, skinny, light brown tom.

**Protected circle (Queens and kits)**

**Petalheart **– White she-cat. (Kitted, two kits Slatekit and Fogkit.)(Father, Dartflight dead.)

**Slatekit **– White tom with grey marks along his back.

**Fogkit** – Pale grey she-kit with amber eyes.

**Honorary circle (Elders) **

**Blindeye** – Blind grey tom with bulging white eyes.

**Okay, chapter 1 should be up soon:)**

**For now, plz leave a review!**


	3. Chapter 1

**Ok, so here's Chapter 1. It's a long one. I've tried to make it as good as possible but I dunno really:)**

The light of dawn streamed over the trees, making the frozen ground in the WoodClan camp sparkle. Shadefrost shivered and shook the ice from her frozen pelt. It had been a long, cold vigil.

It was the day after she had been made a warrior and Shadefrost knew that her head should be held high with pride. But it hung low down over her freezing chest fur. She had just been through the most painful thing in her life.

The pain had not come from her physical wounds, though her right ear, still swathed in cobwebs, throbbed uncomfortably. The agony had come, instead, from Rustpaw's untimely death.

Rustpaw, her brother, had been killed in the battle between WoodClan and the rogues that had attacked their camp the day before. The rogues had been led by a large white tom called Cloud, who had slaughtered Shadefrost's father, Flamefur. Shadefrost had killed Cloud with help from her friend Shadowheart but not before the rogue had summoned his brother, Lark, from the forest. Lark had been gigantic. Rustpaw hadn't stood a chance. The colossal cat had finished the ginger apprentice off with a flick of his paw and with that flick, he had crumbled Shadefrost's world. Afterwards, Lark had slipped away, heading towards the mountains, while Shadefrost had tried vainly to save her dying brother.

Most probably, the worst part of the whole event, had been when Shrewfur, her ex-mentor, and the elders, Rosefoot and Thistlesoul, had taken Rustpaw's body off to be buried, while Shadefrost had had to sit in her silent vigil, unable to go with them.

Shadefrost glanced across to look at her friend, Shadowheart, who had been made a warrior alongside her. Shadowheart had been very close to Rustpaw and was probably feeling the pain even more than Shadefrost. The black she-cat had not moved a whisker during the whole ritual and now a thin layer of ice clung to her pelt.

Shadefrost drew her eyes away from her friend to look at her sister, Finchwing, who had gained her warrior name too. Shadefrost had not known that Finchwing was her sister until very recently, when Flamefur had revealed his secret romance with the CaveClan deputy, Scorchstorm, their mother. Scorchstorm, who had not been able to keep her kits, had sent them to WoodClan. Unfortunately, only Shadefrost and Rustpaw had made the journey, as Creekfall, the cat who had been carrying Finchwing, had slipped off the log bridge that covered the gorge between CaveClan and WoodClan territories. Creekfall had been washed away by the river, only to return to WoodClan moons later to give Finchwing to the clan. He had then left his original clan, CaveClan, and joined WoodClan to be with Finchwing. The two of them were like soul mates.

Shadefrost turned her eyes back to the rising sun, impatient to get off the silent vigil that all new warriors had to endure. She imagined the warm nest waiting for her in the warriors den and closed her eyes, wishing for some cat to come and tell them that their ritual was over. All she wanted was to sleep.

She was not kept waiting long. There was a rustle in the bracken that enclosed the warriors den and the clan deputy, Hollyfrost stepped out. Her coat was nicely groomed as usual but she bore scars from the recent battle. Smiling, she made her way over to the three shivering cats.

"Well," she mewed when she approached. "A cold night, was it?"

Shadefrost and Finchwing nodded vigorously but Shadowheart kept her head bowed in sorrow. Shadefrost suppressed a sigh. Shadowheart needed to get over Rustpaw's death and move on. The clan needed her.

Hollyfrost looked just as concerned as Shadefrost felt. "Are you okay Shadowheart?" Shadowheart dipped her head, a small sad gesture, before lowering her eyes back to the ground. Hollyfrost shook her head, obviously unhappy, and turned to the other new warriors. "You can speak now," the deputy meowed. "Your vigil is over."

Shadefrost sighed in relief and leapt to her paws, wincing at how stiff and sore her muscles were. Beside her, Finchwing did the same. Shadowheart stayed sitting. "Thank you Hollyfrost," Finchwing said, stretching to remove the aches from her legs. "I don't think I could have stood another minute of that."

The deputy purred in amusement. "Well I suggest that you go and have a nice long sleep," she mewed. "I want you three for sundown patrol."

Shadefrost and Finchwing nodded their agreement and Hollyfrost padded past them, heading for Fallenstar's den, which was encased in the trunk of an ancient oak tree.

Shadefrost turned to Finchwing. Her sister was still stretching, her whiskers twitching happily. Noticing Shadefrost's gaze, the silver tabby turned to the other warrior, her eyes wide with the glory of their ritual. "I can't believe that we're warriors," she said, removing the last of the ice from her pelt. "That vigil was horrid. My paws are so cold I'm sure they could fall off!"

Shadefrost nodded her agreement. "It _was _extremely uncomfortable," she mewed, her teeth chattering slightly. "But it gave me time to gather my thoughts, you know, after his death."

Finchwing's eyes clouded with pain. "I'll miss him," she murmured.

Shadefrost felt bad for making her sister unhappy. "Anyway," she meowed, changing the subject. "I'm so tired that I can hardly stay on my paws. Let's go and get some rest."

Finchwing nodded and padded towards the warriors den, yawning loudly.

Shadefrost was about to follow when she realised that Shadowheart still hadn't moved. She made her way over to her friend, pressing her black and white pelt against Shadowheart's black one. "Hey," she whispered. "You've got to move on."

Shadowheart shook her head. "How can I?" she murmured. "I loved him Shadefrost."

Shadefrost stroked her tail along her friend's spine. "I know. I loved him too. But the clan needs us now. We can't let his death drag us into a hole. Remember what Rustpaw said to you, before he died. He told you to be happy. You promised him that you'd be happy."

Shadowheart's hollow eyes suddenly flickered with anger. "How does he expect me to keep that promise?!" she spat. "How can I be happy when he is dead?"

"Shadowheart..." Shadefrost broke off when her friend pulled herself out of her grip and stalked towards the warriors den, not looking back once. Shadefrost stared despairingly after her, and then followed the black cat's pawsteps.

As she neared the warriors den, the bracken rustled and a ginger cat padded out, his fur un-groomed and his eyes hollow, as if he had not had a lot of sleep. Shadefrost sighed. It looked as if it had been a long night for every cat, not just her, Shadowheart and Finchwing. She padded over to the ginger tom, her paws suddenly light and her whiskers twitching merrily. This cat could make her feel happy, no matter what happened. The tom's tired eyes brightened slightly when she approached. Shadefrost touched noses with the tom. "Foxwhisker," she murmured, cherishing their closeness.

Foxwhisker rasped his tongue over her ear. "Hello warrior," he said tenderly.

Shadefrost purred as a rush of love blossomed in her belly. She wound herself around Foxwhisker and then frowned. The ginger warrior was unusually tense and his fur bristled slightly against hers. She drew back to look him in the eye. "Are you okay?" she asked, concerned when his eyes flickered uneasily from side to side.

"I'm fine," he said, scuffing his paws on the icy ground. "Just had a rough night, that's all."

"Are you sure?" she asked, unconvinced. There was something else behind Foxwhisker's stress.

Foxwhisker purred shakily and gave her ear another lick. "Yes, I'm sure," he mewed. "I've got to go on the dawn patrol now. You look half-dead on your paws. You should get some sleep."

Shadefrost nodded and Foxwhisker padded away, leaving a worried expression on her face. What was the matter with the ginger tom?

Frowning, she padded over to the warriors den. Pushing her head through the bracken entrance, she surveyed her new sleeping place. It was bigger than the apprentices den and considerably warmer due to the number of cats that slept there. Shadefrost felt a pang of sympathy for Venompaw, Lilacpaw and Lynxpaw, the remaining apprentices. Their den would be freezing now that she, Finchwing and Shadowheart had left.

Most of the cats were stirring now and Shadefrost steered away from where Rootheart and Swiftclaw were lying. The two toms had never been very accepting of the fact that Shadefrost was not clanborn and had often teased her when she was an apprentice. She did not expect that to change now that she was a warrior. Sure enough, Rootheart sneered at her as she entered. "I'm surprised that you lasted the night, Shadefrost. It's a good job that your brother is dead, he would never have survived the vigil."

Shadefrost felt her hackles rise. Rootheart was going too far by insulting Rustpaw. "Don't you dare even talk about him," she hissed.

"Oooh," jeered Swiftclaw. "What are you going to do Shadefrost? Set Foxwhisker on us?" His eyes glinted and he unsheathed his claws. Shadefrost bunched her muscles and prepared for a fight.

A cat flung itself in front of Swiftclaw. "Back off!" It was Ratclaw, a sturdy grey warrior. "It is your own dishonour to offend StarClan."

Swiftclaw sniggered but settled back into a sitting position, sheathing his claws. Ratclaw spat at him, before turning to Shadefrost. "Just ignore them," he mewed. "Horrid lowlifes."  
Shadefrost smiled at Ratclaw. The grey tom was a good friend to her and they had been through much together. "Thank you."

"No problem." The older warrior flicked his tail over her ear. "Good to see you in here." He flicked his ears toward a group of nests. "If you're looking for somewhere to sleep, then I'd recommend over there. It's were Foxwhisker sleeps. I know you two are..." He trailed off as if looking for the right word and then meowed. "...close."

Shadefrost nodded and padded over to the nests. Shadowheart and Finchwing were already there. Shadowheart was curled up, apparently asleep but as Shadefrost watched, she saw the black cat's eyes open a slit and survey the den before quickly shutting again. Shadefrost sighed. It looked as if Shadowheart was going to be depressed for a while.

Finchwing was sharing tongues with Creekfall, the cat who had brought her to WoodClan. Creekfall swiped his tongue over Finchwing's ear and whispered something in it. As Shadefrost approached, he rose and nodded at her before padding out of the den.

Shadefrost walked over to Finchwing. "Creekfall's on dawn patrol, is he?"

Finchwing nodded and sighed. "I still can't believe we're warriors!"

Shadefrost purred and scraped some moss into a nest next to her sister's. "It seems just a day ago that I was made an apprentice with..." She stopped abruptly, knowing that the sound of his name would bring on more pain.

Finchwing's eyes darkened with grief. "I'm really going to miss him. I'm still hurting inside."

"I'm hurting too," Shadefrost agreed. "But I think that Shadowheart is hurting the most."

Finchwing nodded. "I hope she gets happy soon. I remember the grief I felt when I thought that Creekfall was dead but I can't imagine what Shadowheart is feeling now."

Shadefrost nodded and curled up next to her sister. "We'll sort it out after we've rested," she murmured. "I don't think I can stay awake a moment longer."

She let her eyelids close and was sent plummeting into darkness. Worries piled up in her head. What was she going to do about Rootheart and Swiftclaw and was Shadowheart ever going to recover? A cool breeze swept in from outside and Shadefrost longed for the warmth of Foxwhisker's pelt beside her. She remembered how tense and uneasy the tom had been just after the end of her vigil and felt concern and confusion well up inside her. As she drifted into a deep slumber, she was certain about one thing. Foxwhisker was keeping something from her. But what was it?

**I know, not much of a cliffie because we all know what's wrong with Foxwhisker (plz ask if you don't) but Shadefrost doesn't know so... yeah:)**

**Silverpelt-Hawksky, CRAZEDREADER96, Pebbleclaw, Blossomgleam, Jellybean is me, NessieXJacob-Mossfeather, Clear Blue Rain and Fawntail, thanks so much for your reviews. I'm really grateful:) I want to try and go over 79 reviews with this story because that was what the Shade of WoodClan got. I always try and improve on what I've done before. So every review counts! I officially think anyone who reviews is awesome:)**

**Anyhoo, I'll update ASAP:) Plz review!**


	4. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter 2! Sorry it's a bit short. I've got exams coming up so...**

A paw poked Shadefrost in the side. "Shadefrost, wake up."

Shadefrost shifted. "No," she mumbled, her voice heavy with sleep. "Let me sleep."

The paw poked harder. "Shadefrost, get up, we're on patrol remember?"

Shadefrost let her eyes open. The den was dark and warm with the scents of many sleeping cats. It was just after sundown and she was due on patrol. "Oh foxdung," she hissed, pushing herself slowly to her paws. She did _not_ want to go on patrol.

Finchwing was standing beside her, her paws scraping the moss impatiently. "Why do you have to be so lazy?" she said, not unkindly. "Our first patrol as warriors and we're going to be late!"

Shadefrost shook the sleep from her head. "Lazy?" she purred. "Now that's a bit harsh. Anyway, it's not me who's the lazy one." She poked Finchwing in the side.

Her sister growled playfully. "Are you saying I'm lazy?" She pushed Shadefrost. "Race you outside!"

Shadefrost leapt towards the entrance of the den, making her way quickly over the sleeping forms. There was a muffled growl as she flicked Shrewfur's ear with a trailing paw, but she was outside before she had to face her ex-mentor's anger. Finchwing followed behind. "You were always faster than me," she mewed.

Shadefrost nodded. "But you're a better tracker."

Finchwing flicked her tail towards the entrance of the camp where a group of cats were sitting, their fur fluffed up against the cold. "Shall we join them?"

Shadefrost nodded and started to pad over to the rest of the patrol.

As she crossed the clearing, she saw Foxwhisker heading for the warrior's den and was reminded of her fears about the tom. She turned to Finchwing. "Wait one second!"

Finchwing looked at her despairingly. "Shadefrost, we're going to be late and..." she started to complain but Shadefrost had already bounded away.

"Foxwhisker!" she called, running over to him.

Foxwhisker looked around and saw her. "Hey," he mewed. "Aren't you on patrol?"

Shadefrost nodded and they touched noses. "Yeah, so I have to make this quick."

Foxwhisker looked her in the eye. "What is it?"  
"I just wanted to know what was wrong with you after my vigil," she mewed.

Foxwhisker flinched slightly and his eyes darkened and shifted out of hers. "What do you mean?"

Shadefrost was becoming impatient. "You know what I mean. You were all stiff and tense."

"I just had a bad night's sleep, okay?" he said, his voice irritated.

She shook her head. "You and I both know that there's more behind this."  
"Why can't you just accept that I couldn't sleep Shadefrost?" he snapped. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go and catch up on it." He stalked away.

"Foxwhisker!" Shadefrost cried but he did not turn. She watched him until his tail disappeared into the warriors den. There was something not right. Something was troubling Foxwhisker and it had to be something big to make him snap at her like that. Foxwhisker was one of the kindest toms that she knew; he never got angry with any cat. Shaking her head sadly, Shadefrost padded off to join the patrol, thoughts running wildly through her head.

**Again sorry it's so short but it's quality not quantity, right? -shifts eyes from side to side-:P The next chapter will be longer. (I hope.)**

**Thanks to my reviewers: Jellybean is me, Ripplewater, NessieXJacob-Mossfeather, Silverdew of ThunderClan, Clear Blue Rain, Pebbleclaw, CRAZEDREADER96, Silverheart of ThunderClan and Dreamsoul of DawnClan. Thanks SO much:)**

**I'll try to update soon. On your way out, plz leave a review!**


	5. Chapter 3

**I finally got the time to update this:)**

The patrol returned to camp just before moonhigh. There had been no sightings of the rogues that had attacked the camp or of the gigantic cat, Lark. All was well in the forest again; except Rustpaw was dead, Foxwhisker was being weird and Shadowheart was still depressed.

Shadefrost entered the camp behind the black she-cat. Shadowheart had not uttered a word during the entire patrol and Shadefrost had worried about her friend, instead of scenting the air for threats. Hollyfrost had noticed this and scolded Shadefrost for inattention. Apparently that was not allowed now that she was a warrior.

As they padded through the hollowed-out tree trunk, Shadefrost picked up her pace so that she was walking beside Shadowheart. "Hey," she mewed, trying to sound bright.

Shadowheart nodded at her but did not speak.

Shadefrost sighed and followed Shadowheart towards the centre of the clearing. "You are going to have to get over this soon, you know?" she meowed seriously. "Rustpaw's watching us from StarClan."

Shadowheart shook her head. "I know," she said, her voice barely audible. "But it's not the same."

"Oh Shadowheart!" Shadefrost pushed her pelt into her friend's. "I know it's not exactly the same but you need to just accept that he's gone."

Shadowheart pulled away. "I can't," she whispered and padded towards the warriors den.

Shadefrost was about to follow but a voice sounded from behind her. "Shadefrost." It was strong and commanding. She turned to see Hollyfrost, eyeing her cobweb-swathed ear. "You need to go and get that ear looked at or it might get infected. I can't have my warriors weakened in any way this time of year."

Shadefrost nodded. She had completely forgotten about her ear. Cloud had torn it just before she had slain him. "Okay Hollyfrost."

She turned to pad away but Hollyfrost stopped her. "Are you worried about Shadowheart, Shadefrost?" the deputy asked.

Shadefrost hesitated, surprised that Hollyfrost had noticed, then mewed, "I don't think she has quite gotten over _his_ death yet." Yet again, she couldn't bring herself to say Rustpaw's name.

Hollyfrost nodded. "Don't worry," she mewed. "I'll have some cat cheer her up. Maybe Sootwhisker."

"Sootwhisker will have his work cut out," Shadefrost warned. "I've tried to make her happy but she won't listen."

Hollyfrost nodded. "Sootwhisker is good at that stuff," she mused.

"Alright." Shadefrost dipped her head respectfully at the deputy. "Thank you Hollyfrost."

Hollyfrost rested her tail on her shoulder. "We need good warriors and Shadowheart can't be that if she is grieving." Again, her eyes drifted to Shadefrost's ear. "And you can't be that if you have an infected ear. Go and see Swallowfeather, now."

Shadefrost nodded. "Okay but I don't think Swallowfeather will be very happy if I wake her up." She turned and padded across the clearing towards the medicine cat den.

The camp was well lit as the moon was almost full. A full moon signalled a gathering, in fact there was one tomorrow night. Shadefrost was not desperate to go but it would be nice to catch up with some of her friends from the other clans. And also it would be the first time she would see Scorchstorm since she had discovered they were related.

She entered the medicine cat den quietly, so that she did not wake any of the cats sleeping there. Inside, Shadefrost recognised the medicine cat apprentice, Silkpaw, who was sorting herbs into neat piles. Shadefrost was very close to Silkpaw, having been raised by her mother, Daisypelt. Daisypelt, unfortunately, had died in the battle against the rogues as well and Shadefrost grieved for her along with Flamefur and Rustpaw.

Silkpaw looked up when Shadefrost entered. "Hey," she mewed, smiling though her eyes portrayed her grief for her lost mother.

"Hello Silkpaw," Shadefrost mewed, padding over to her littermate.

"I haven't seen you since you were made a warrior," Silkpaw commented. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks." Shadefrost nosed Silkpaw's side. "What are you doing up at this time of night?"

"Swallowfeather sent me on an herb collecting mission." Her eyes glinted mysteriously. "Some herbs grow better at night."

Shadefrost frowned. She didn't understand the ways of a medicine cat much.

Silkpaw pushed a pile of herbs to one side. "What do you want Shadefrost?"

"Um, my ear," Shadefrost said. "Could you do it up, considering you're awake and all?"

"Oh, yeah sure." Silkpaw picked up her pile of herbs. "Just let me put these back in the store." She padded towards an overhanging rock and disappeared behind it. Shadefrost knew that Swallowfeather's nest resided there, along with the store of herbs.

Shadefrost sat down and curled her tail around her paws. Surveying the medicine cat den, she spotted Venompaw in his nest of moss. The young tom was squirming in his sleep. His injury was obviously bothering him. Venompaw's eye had been viciously clawed in the battle and, although he wasn't blinded, he would have a nasty scar stretching across one eye when he returned to training.

There was a hiss from behind the overhang and Silkpaw dashed out, looking guilty. Padding over to Shadefrost, she mewed, "I stood on Swallowfeather's tail when I was getting some cobwebs. She wasn't happy. Apparently she was having a dream about eating mice."

"That's too bad," Shadefrost sympathised. Swallowfeather was an extremely gentle medicine cat but if you got on her wrong side she could be cranky.

Silkpaw reached up to pull the cobwebs from Shadefrost's ear. "Well," she mewled, inspecting the tear. "At least it's stopped bleeding. You should be okay without cobwebs. Looks like I stood on Swallowfeather's tail for nothing."

Shadefrost scuffed her paws. "Sorry."

Silkpaw purred. "It's okay." She yawned. "Gosh, I am tired."

Shadefrost pressed her nose into her littermate's fur. "You should catch a few winks before sunrise."

Silkpaw smiled. "So should you. You look half-dead on your paws."

"Hmm." Shadefrost nodded, realising how tired she was. "I'll see you soon then Silkpaw."

"Yeah." Silkpaw waved her tail in farewell and Shadefrost exited the den.

Shadefrost traversed the gap to the warriors den quickly, eager to curl up in her warm nest. A chilly wind ruffled her fur and she shivered, even though her pelt had grown thick against the icy weather. She entered the den silently, slipping over to where she had slept earlier. Finchwing and Creekfall were curled up together, their chests rising and falling rhythmically in their slumber. Next to them, Shadowheart was stretched out in her nest, looking more peaceful in her sleep than she had since Rustpaw's death. Foxwhisker lay a few whiskerlengths away from her. He was twitching and turning in his sleep. As Shadefrost watched, she heard him mumble, "Mountains. No." She frowned. What kind of mousebrained dream was the ginger tom having? Troubled, she lay down beside him and let her pelt touch his. They were not in contact for long as the tom twisted in his slumber, rolling away from her. She shivered, longing for the warmth of his fur and let herself fall into an uneasy sleep.

**So what do you think? Tell me in a review!**

**Sorry the update was a little slower than usual. I had to do revision:(**

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: Ripplewater, CRAZEDREADER96 x2, Silverdew of ThunderClan, Jellybean is me, Squirreltail, Clear Blue Rain, Pebbleclaw, ShadowInYourEyes, NessieXJacob-Mossfeather and Blossomgleam. I can't believe how many reviews I'm getting. Thank you! I'm really grateful:)**

**The next update may be slow because of exams. For now, please review!**


	6. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.**

The bright light that filtered through the bracken woke Shadefrost. It warmed her pelt and made her want to purr in delight. She lay there for a while, relishing the unusual warmth that soaked her fur.

Opening her eyes, she was nearly blinded by the intensity of the light. She mewled with happiness and pushed herself to her paws. Today was bright; a bright new dawn when she could leave Rustpaw and Flamefur behind and start her new life as a WoodClan warrior.

Shadefrost shook stray pieces of moss from her pelt. Light still filled her eyes, making her vision hazy. Taking a step forward, she gasped as her paw connected with another cat's tail. "Ow," complained Foxwhisker. "What in StarClan..." He looked up and saw her. "Oh." His whiskers twitched happily. "How are you, my love?"

Shadefrost's day brightened further. "Fine," she purred, her heart beating hopefully. Maybe Foxwhisker had been telling the truth. Maybe he had just needed to catch up on sleep. "Sorry about your tail."

Foxwhisker flicked his tail over her ear. "No problem." He eyed her nervously. "Hey, um, Shadefrost, I'm sorry that I snapped at you last sundown. I've just been worried about something."

"What?"

His eyes darkened. "I'd rather not go there."

Shadefrost sighed, exasperated. So there was something that he was keeping from her. "Tell me," she encouraged him. "I can help."

Foxwhisker shook his head. "I really don't think that you can."

"Try me."

He shifted uneasily. "Please Shadefrost, I don't need this right now." He got to his paws.

"Foxwhisker," Shadefrost mewled, her voice pleading. "What's wrong?"

"It doesn't matter," he insisted. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm expected on patrol." He turned and walked briskly out of the den.

"Foxwhisker, wait." Shadefrost sped after him but by the time she had stuck her head out of the den's exit, he had gone.

She sighed and her stomach rumbled. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten. She headed over to the fresh kill pile. The sky was clear and the sun beat down strongly, blasting through the cold of leafbare. But Shadefrost could not appreciate the warmth anymore. Her day had darkened.

The fresh kill pile was not a pile. There were only three piece of prey there. Disappointed, she turned away. She could not eat that prey. It had to go to the queens, kits and elders, not warriors. Shadefrost padded towards the camp entrance. The unusual heat of the day would bring more prey out from their nests. It was a good day for hunting.

As she neared the entrance, she heard a cat call her name. "Shadefrost!"

She turned to see the skinny black warrior, Sootwhisker. "Hey," she mewed.

"Hey." Sootwhisker's fur was fluffed up as usual. The tom was always so nervous. "Where are you going?"

"I thought I'd get a bit of hunting done," Shadefrost answered. "It's a good day for it." She waited anxiously for Sootwhisker's approval. The tom was the only cat in the clan who matched her skill at hunting and she had much respect for him.

Sootwhisker nodded. "That's a good idea." He eyed her thoughtfully. "Could you take Lilacpaw with you? It'll be good for her to get some experience with such a good hunter."

Shadefrost suppressed a groan. She not at all want to take Sootwhisker's apprentice hunting. Lilacpaw had not been very nice to her when she was an apprentice. Early on in her apprenticeship, Lilacpaw had become close to Swiftclaw, who had filled the apprentice's head with bad thoughts about Shadefrost and Rustpaw. Lilacpaw had been mean ever since, although she had said a few kind words to Shadefrost at her warrior ceremony. Sighing, Shadefrost meowed, "I could but why?"

"Hollyfrost told me to keep Shadowheart company," Sootwhisker explained. "She said the she was a bit depressed. I thought I'd take her tracking and try to cheer her up. I hate it when other cats are upset."

"Ah, of course." Shadefrost dipped her head. "Ok, I'll take Lilacpaw hunting if you promise to cheer Shadowheart up."

Sootwhisker looked at her gratefully. "Thanks Shadefrost. I'll try my best with Shadowheart."

Shadefrost nodded and padded towards the apprentice's den with heavy paws.

Lilacpaw and Lynxpaw were basking outside, taking advantage of the warmth. They looked up as Shadefrost approached. "Hey Shadefrost!" Lynxpaw mewled.

"Hey." Shadefrost smiled at the golden tom. He was a lively cat and always seemed happy.

"Have you come to take me training?" he asked hopefully.

"No, sorry Lynxpaw."She swiped her tail over his nose and turned to Lilacpaw. "Lilacpaw, Sootwhisker wants me to take you hunting today." She braced herself for the harsh words.

But none came. "Okay," Lilacpaw merely said, getting to her paws. "Where are we going?"

For several seconds, Shadefrost was unable to speak. Lilacpaw was never nice to her. "Um," she mumbled, regaining her voice. "I thought around by the Four Oakes."

"Sounds good." Lilacpaw padded towards the camp exit. "Let's go."

Shadefrost exchanged a bewildered glance with Lynxpaw, before rushing after Lilacpaw and out of the camp.

**Okay, I'm in a bit of a rush so I can't thank my reveiwers induvidually like I normally would. Sorry:(**

**Thanks anyway if you reviewed:)**

**I'll update ASAP!**


	7. Chapter 5

**Okay, here's chapter 5! I've made it longer than my previous chapters so enjoy:)**

Shadefrost sprang. The rabbit was dead before it could even squeak. Lifting her catch in her jaws, she returned to where Lilacpaw was watching her with awed eyes. "That was a good catch! You're such a good hunter Shadefrost."

Shadefrost dropped the rabbit onto the pile of prey, caught earlier in the day, and frowned. "It was nothing." Throughout the hunting trip, Lilacpaw had been exceptionally nice to her. Not one bad word had come out of the apprentice's mouth. Shadefrost was beginning to suspect that some cat had drugged Lilacpaw's fresh-kill.

"The sky is beginning to darken," Lilacpaw pointed out. "We should be getting back to camp or we might miss the announcement on who is going to the gathering."

"Yes, I suppose." Shadefrost laid her tail on Lilacpaw's shoulder. The brown tabby winced slightly at the touch.

"What?" she asked.

"I just need to know," Shadefrost mewed. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were never nice to me when I was an apprentice, so why now?"

Lilacpaw sighed and crouched on the floor. "Swiftclaw has made me bitter and twisted," she murmured. "He makes me see things differently."

"What do you mean?"

The apprentice frowned for a while and then mewed, "Like with Jadepaw."

Jadepaw had been Lilacpaw and Venompaw's sister. She had been killed by Cloud but in a battle previous to the one that had claimed the life of Rustpaw. Lilacpaw had experienced much grief at her sister's death and had blamed Shadefrost for not saving her when there was nothing the she could have done.

"Inside," Lilacpaw continued. "I knew that you were not responsible for Jadepaw's death but Swiftclaw had taught me to hate you and so I blamed you. I'm sorry."

Shadefrost shook her head, not understanding. "If Swiftclaw has made you this way, then why don't you just avoid him?"

Lilacpaw smiled a sad smile. "I suppose I love him. I know that there is a good cat there. I just need to bring it out."

Love was crazy, Shadefrost concluded.

"Anyway," Lilacpaw meowed, changing the subject. "Can we get going? I really want to go to the gathering. It'll be my first one if Fallenstar picks me." She picked up a mouse and a sparrow and started off in the direction of the camp. Still confused, Shadefrost followed. What was it that Lilacpaw saw in Swiftclaw? How could she love the sly tom?

* * *

Shadefrost entered the camp, her jaws laden with prey. Lilacpaw padded in just after her. As they walked to the fresh-kill pile, they were halted by Hollyfrost. "Shadefrost, Lilacpaw, well done! That's more prey than we've had in moons."

"It was Shadefrost really," Lilacpaw commented. "She's an amazing hunter."

Shadefrost shuffled her paws. She wasn't used to receiving praise from Lilacpaw. "You did well too Lilacpaw," she meowed, returning the compliment.

Hollyfrost purred at them both. "You did really well. Lilacpaw, could you take some prey to Lilyface and Breezewing in the nursery? They need to be fed."

Lilacpaw nodded and Hollyfrost padded away to sit with Shrewfur, her mate.

Lilacpaw started towards the nursery but Shadefrost blocked the way with her tail. "I'll take the fresh-kill to the queens," she offered. "You go and get some yourself. You deserve it."

Lilacpaw stared at her with gratified eyes. "Are you sure? I can easily take it."

"No, it's fine. I haven't visited the kits in ages anyway."  
Lilacpaw nodded. "Alright. Thanks Shadefrost. I'll take the rest of the catch to the pile."

They parted, Lilacpaw heading towards the fresh-kill pile and Shadefrost padding to the nursery. Slipping her head inside, Shadefrost breathed in the calming scent of milk that always resided with kits and queens. She pushed herself through the thick thorn entrance, purring as the warmth in the nursery soaked her black and white fur.

Lilyface was lying nearest to the entrance. She was the mate of the brave deputy, Whitepelt. Whitepelt had been killed a few moons ago and the clan missed him dearly.

Lilyface's two kits, Emberkit and Sagekit were curled up in the curve of her belly. Emberkit was the more boisterous of the two and was ginger like her mother. Lynxpaw was absolutely devoted to Emberkit and the two of them looked destined to become mates.

Sagekit was small for her age and extremely skinny. She strongly resembled Whitepelt, with the same white coat and golden eyes as her father, and was allergic to meat. Swallowfeather had to feed her a diet of insects and plants to keep her alive. However, Sagekit was not allergic to cat meat because, as Silkpaw had concluded, if she was she would be allergic to herself. This was good as it meant that the white kit could become a full warrior in the future, even though she would not be able to hunt.

As Shadefrost approached, Lilyface welcomed her with a purr. "Hello Shadefrost."

"Hi Lilyface. How are Emberkit and Sagekit?"  
"They're fine. Is that fresh-kill you have there?" When Shadefrost nodded, the ginger queen mewed, "Could you place it by my head, you know to keep it away from Sagekit." She looked sadly at her smallest kit.

Placing a rabbit where Lilyface had indicated, Shadefrost mewed, "Are you okay?"

Lilyface blinked the sorrow from her eyes. "I'm fine. It's just, well I worry about Sagekit sometimes. In a moon, Emberkit will become an apprentice but I don't know if Sagekit will be big enough to join her. I wander if she'll be okay with staying in the nursery for a while longer. I don't know how she'll react."

Shadefrost nodded sympathetically. "I'm sure that she will be big enough Lilyface and if she's not then I'm certain she'll be fine. She's a strong cat, you know, maybe not physically but definitely mentally."

Lilyface nodded and gave Sagekit a tender lick on the head. The white kit squirmed in her sleep. Lilyface sighed. "I suppose you better go and see Breezewing. Suckling five kits has to be taking its toll on her."

There was an amused purr from the other side of the den. "It is!" mewed Breezewing. "I'm starving."

Shadefrost hastened to make her way over to the silver queen. Breezewing was Fallenstar's mate but only three of the kits that she suckled were theirs. Those three were slightly older than the other two. They were called Rainkit, Dewkit and Wispkit.

Rainkit was larger than his two siblings. He had a light grey pelt speckled with flecks of white. Right now, he was asleep, curled up in a tight ball.

Dewkit, on the other hand, was very rarely asleep. She was the only she-kit in the litter but was much louder and mischievous than her brothers. She sported a light grey pelt, like Rainkit, but instead of white flecks she had white paws. She was presently playing with her mother's tail, chasing after it as Breezewing swayed it from side to side. As Shadefrost watched, she pounced on the tail and pinned it down squealing, "I have you now Ripplestar! Hand over the prey!"

Wispkit was... weird. He was far too quiet for his age and his eyes often glimmered with unknown secrets. He was different to his brother and sister as he was a dark grey tabby with dark blue eyes compared to Dewkit and Rainkit's light blue ones. He was currently staring up at Shadefrost with those shadowed eyes that made the new warrior want to turn away.

Breezewing also suckled two other kits whose mother, Fembrook, was dead. Shadefrost had been friends with Fembrook and pain shot through her heart whenever she thought of the beautiful silver she-cat. It had been Fembrook's beauty, in fact, that had been her downfall. She had fallen in love with the CaveClan warrior, Blackwing, a few moons before her death. She had been heavily pregnant with his kits when she had gone to visit him at the border between their territories. There resided the deep gorge (the one that Creekfall had fallen into) with a roaring river at the bottom of it. The river cascaded down into a waterfall and carried on far beyond the territories of the clan cats. Along the side of the waterfall were a lot of rocks, piled on top of each other, which were a quick way up and down the drop that the waterfall created. These were called the Waterstones and they were very slippery in leafbare. Fembrook had tried to descend the Waterstones to reach Blackwing but she had slipped and fallen to the ground below. Shadefrost had found her unconscious along with Silkpaw and Ratclaw, Fembrook's brother. Silkpaw had been able to deliver Fembrook's kits before the queen had passed to StarClan. Blackwing had been devastated but had not blamed his kits for his mate's passing. He had named them Mintkit and Webkit before returning to CaveClan. Shadefrost had not heard of him since.

Both Mintkit and Webkit were asleep now, curled close to Breezewing's belly. Webkit was black and white, larger than his sister by some margin. He looked a lot like Blackwing.

Mintkit was a small, dusky grey she-kit. She looked more like Fembrook although her pelt was darker.

Breezewing smiled as Shadefrost dropped a sparrow and a vole at her paw. "Thanks loads Shadefrost," she mewed, vigorously digging into the vole.

Shadefrost smiled and moved to tenderly nose Webkit and Mintkit on their small flanks. "Are they okay?" she asked.

"Perfectly fine," Breezewing answered between bites. "Their eyes opened last night. Webkit has gorgeous amber ones and Mintkit's are pale green."

"Just like Fembrook's," Shadefrost murmured quietly.

Breezewing stopped eating at her words. "Yes." The two she-cats bowed their head momentarily for their lost friend.

Shadefrost felt a yank on her tail. "Ow," she gasped spinning around.

She saw Dewkit, her tiny teeth fixed in the white fur of her tail. "Gotya'" the grey she-kit mewled.

Breezewing sighed. "Dewkit, what have I told you about respect for warriors. It was bad enough when you did it to Fallenstar!"

"Yeah but father didn't mind. He said it tickled," Dewkit complained.

"Dewkit," Breezewing warned.

Dewkit sighed and dropped Shadefrost's tail. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Shadefrost nosed Dewkit playfully. "That's a good aim you've got there. I can see someone's going to make a great warrior."

"Yeah," Dewkit mewled. "I going to be the toughest, meanest warrior ever. The mice won't stand a chance!"

"I'm sure you are." Shadefrost made her way to the exit of the nursery. "I'll come see you soon Breezewing, Lilyface," she called over her shoulder.

As she exited the den she heard Dewkit say, "Shadefrost is well cooler than you mother. That's why she's Shadefrost. Shade_frost_, get it?"

Shadefrost let out a _mrrow _of laughter and stepped out into the cool air.

Her stomach grumbled ravenously, begging for food like a starved kit. She padded over to the fresh-kill pile. Finchwing and Lilacpaw were already there. Shadefrost greeted them with a flick of her tail and then picked a thrush from the pile. As she settled beside Lilacpaw, Finchwing mewed, "Hey Shadefrost, how's things?"

Shadefrost took a bite from the thrush, purring as the warm meat slid down her throat. "Better than they have been," she answered, partly lying. It was true that she was finally putting Rustpaw's death behind her but Foxwhisker's secrecy was not helping with her attempts to get back to her normal self.

Finchwing smiled. "Well that's good. How about you Lilacpaw?"

Lilacpaw looked quite surprised to be addressed. "I'm good now that I've eaten something," she said, scuffing her paws. "I hate leafbare. You never have a full stomach."

Shadefrost nodded empathetically. "Yeah, well it'll be over in two moons," she meowed. "And then it'll be newleaf."

Lilacpaw nodded and then got to her paws. "If you'll excuse me, I want to go and visit Venompaw. Swallowfeather said he woke up at sunrise." She padded towards the medicine cat den.

Shadefrost watched her go, trying to convince herself that it was perfectly normal for Lilacpaw to want to see her brother. But she could not push away the thought that, after moons of hatred, the brown apprentice still held a grudge against her.

Finchwing swallowed a bite of mouse. "Hey good," she whispered, drawing close to her sister. "I need to talk to you about tonight."

Shadefrost frowned. "What about it?"

"The gathering! Scorchstorm will be there. We need to talk to her."  
Shadefrost shook her head. Scorchstorm was her blood mother but she still felt that Daisypelt, the cat that had brought her up, was her real mother. "I'd rather not," she murmured.

"Shadefrost," Finchwing complained. "We have to tell her about Flamefur and Rustpaw."

Shadefrost flinched away from that idea as well. "I'd rather not," she repeated, imagining how Scorchstorm's face would crumple when she heard that her mate and her son were dead.

Finchwing frowned, obviously irritated. "Please don't make me do this on my own. I don't even know if I'm going to the gathering."

Shadefrost laid her tail on her sister's shoulder. "Alright Finchwing, I'll tell her but I won't enjoy it."

Finchwing looked immensely relieved. "Thanks Shadefrost." The two sisters stayed like that for a while, relishing their closeness and then Finchwing got to her paws. "I'm going to find Creekfall. He can help us with Scorchstorm."

Shadefrost nodded. "Okay." Creekfall was the only cat in WoodClan who knew about the relationship between them and Scorchstorm. Polarstar, the leader of CaveClan, and his warriors, Talltail and Talonclaw also knew but they had never mentioned it.

She started to eat again. Her stomach was filling up for the first time in moons. As she tore a wing off the thrush, she saw Shadowheart and Sootwhisker enter the camp and walk side by side to the fresh-kill pile. She blinked in surprise at how close they were, so close that their pelts were almost brushing. Shadowheart picked a vole off the pile and sat beside Shadefrost. "Hey Shadefrost," she mewed cheerily.

Shadefrost was so amazed that she inhaled a feather. She coughed and spluttered until it came flying out her mouth. Sootwhisker, who had settled beside Shadowheart, stared at her concerned. "Are you okay?"

Shadefrost gasped for air. "Fine," she panted. Shadowheart? Happy? What had Sootwhisker done?

Shadowheart took a bite of her vole. "We tracked the rogues' scent today. You'll be glad to know that there was no sign of them or Lark."

Shadefrost had regained her breath enough to stare at Shadowheart confusedly. "That's good," she meowed. "You're happier than normal."

Shadowheart shrugged. "I suppose I am. I just really enjoyed it today." She looked at Sootwhisker, purring.

Sootwhisker's eyes shone. "I'm glad you liked it," he mumbled, looking at his paws. He looked up at Shadowheart nervously. "Do you want to hunt with me tomorrow?"

Shadowheart smiled. "Yes I would."

Sootwhisker's whiskers twitched happily. He hesitantly scuffled nearer to the black she-cat. Shadowheart did not draw away but instead pressed her pelt against his.

Watching the two black cats together made Shadefrost purr. It was good that Shadowheart had Sootwhisker to help her become happy again. She had grieved over Rustpaw for far too long. She picked every last scrap of meat from her thrush. It would be the last meal she would have until next sundown.

As the sun began to sink from the sky, Fallenstar emerged from his den and leaped up onto the Oak tree, where all the announcements for the clan were made. His voice rang out across the camp. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here under the Oak tree for a clan meeting."

The cats of WoodClan began to emerge from their dens and gather in a huddled group under the Oak tree. Shadefrost went to sit at the back of the group. As she past the nursery, she saw Dewkit's tiny head poke out from the nursery. There was a shout, muffled by the thick wall of the den, and Dewkit's head suddenly disappeared as she was pulled back into the nursery. Shadefrost purred. She had to admit, it would be fun mentoring Dewkit and she would certainly like to in the future, but she was not sure that Fallenstar would trust her with his kit. He would probably pick a more experienced warrior like Shrewfur.

As she sat down beside Icestorm, Fallenstar yowled, "I will take these cats to the gathering: Hollyfrost, Silkpaw, Rootheart, Shrewfur, Foxwhisker, Creekfall, Shadefrost, Finchwing, Lilacpaw and Lynxpaw."

Shadefrost gasped in surprise. She had not been expecting to go to the gathering. She ran the list of names through her head. The fact that Rootheart was going didn't give her much pleasure. Neither did Foxwhisker. The ginger tom was acting weirdly and Shadefrost knew she would have to confront him sometime. She was happy for Lilacpaw and Lynxpaw, however. The first gathering was always a great experience.

Icestorm, on her right side, mewed, "You better be going Shadefrost. That's if you don't want to be left behind."

Shadefrost nodded. "Bye Icestorm."

Icestorm waved her tail in farewell and Shadefrost ran to join the patrol of cats just as they filtered out of the camp.

**So what did you think? Review plz:P**

**Does anyone have any ideas for Lilacpaw's warrior name. I just realized that I have no idea. She won't become a warrior for a while but I like to plan ahead:)**

**Thanks to all who reviewed: CRAZEDREADER96, Scorchwind, NessieXJacob-Mossfeather, Blossomgleam, Pebbleclaw, Jellybean is me, Fawntail and Frostingtail. Thanks SO much:)**

**I'll try to update as soon as I can. My exams will be over by next week so there'll be more updates. YAY!**

**Plz review!**


	8. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone! I'm in a good mood 'coz it's summer:) Here's Chapter 6!**

As they pelted through the forest on the way to the Four Oaks, Shadefrost found herself running beside Shrewfur. "Hey Shadefrost," her ex-mentor meowed. "How's life as a warrior?"

Shadefrost smiled at him. "It's great!" But not as good as it should be, she added to herself. Foxwhisker had promised her much more.

"Well that's good." They leapt over a log.

Shadefrost suddenly realised that she hadn't thanked Shrewfur for his mentoring. "It's thanks to you that I got this far," she meowed, dipping her head gratefully.

"It was my pleasure," Shrewfur purred.

Shadefrost saw Foxwhisker's tail among the patrol. Excusing herself, she increased her pace so that she was running alongside the tom. "Hey," she mewed.

Foxwhisker smiled at her but the smile did not reach his eyes. They were troubled. Shadefrost blinked, concerned. Something was worrying Foxwhisker and she would do anything to make it better. "Please tell me what's wrong."

Foxwhisker shook his head. "I'm sorry but if I did then you would make fun of me for the rest of my life."

"I wouldn't."

Foxwhisker sighed. "I've told you before Shadefrost, I've not been sleeping well. Can't that just be enough for you?"

Shadefrost felt pain tug at her heart. She felt she could tell Foxwhisker anything. He obviously couldn't do the same for her. Did that mean that he didn't love her anymore? "Okay," she whispered and let her paws slow until she reached the back of the patrol.

She felt a pelt brush hers but she ignored it. "Shadefrost?"

Shadefrost looked up to see Finchwing. "Oh hi Finchwing."

"Are you okay?" Finchwing asked, concern showing in her eyes. "You look hurt all of a sudden."

Shadefrost shook her head. "I'm fine," she lied.

Her sister didn't look convinced. "Are you sure?"

"I'm good Finchwing," Shadefrost snapped, suddenly angry.

Finchwing looked taken aback. "Okay," she murmured. She pressed forward and Shadefrost was left at the back of the patrol all alone.

* * *

Shadefrost sniffed the air around the Four Oaks. She could smell WaterClan but not CaveClan. They must be late, she thought. She waited patiently beside Creekfall, waiting for Fallenstar to flick his tail so that they could descend into the clearing. As she waited, she let her eyes drift to Foxwhisker. He was staring straight ahead, his eyes the same pools of worry as before. Shadefrost let another wave of pain tug on her soul. She loved him so much. She couldn't bear the fact that he didn't want her anymore. The pain turned into agony and she forced herself to look at Fallenstar's tail tip until it died into a steady throb.

Beside her Creekfall shifted impatiently. Shadefrost guessed that he wanted to see his old clanmates again. He had originally been of CaveClan. Leaning towards him, she whispered, "Relax, CaveClan aren't there yet."

Creekfall nodded. "I know but it doesn't make me any less eager to see them."

Shadefrost was about to reply when the tip of Fallenstar's tail gave a slight twitch. She sprung to her paws and followed the rest of her clan as they leapt over the log that blocked them from the clearing. As she raced down the slope with the pawsteps of many strong warriors, she felt a familiar sense of pride touch her soul. She was part of a strong and thriving clan. She let a purr escape her jaws.

The clearing was bathed in the light of the full moon. The four tall oak trees seemed still managed to baffle Shadefrost even though it was the third time she had come to a gathering. The WoodClan patrol had already split up. Silkpaw was talking to Lizardtail, the WaterClan medicine cat, while Fallenstar and Hollyfrost were exchanging words with the deputy, Whiteclaw. A friendly atmosphere surged around the clearing. The WaterClan and WoodClan cats were on good terms after they had fought together against the rogues.

Shadefrost heard a cat call her name and turned to see three WaterClanners rushing towards her. She recognised them as Sunpaw, Featherpaw and Poolheart. Sunpaw, a brown tortoiseshell and Featherpaw, a sliver she-cat, had once helped Shadefrost when she was attacked by an eagle and she still felt gratitude towards the two of them. Poolheart, on the other hand, had fought alongside Shadefrost in the battle against the rogues. He was a handsome grey tom with a shining coat and Shadefrost had once felt a certain attraction towards him before she realised that he and Featherpaw were closer than friends.

Poolheart reached her first. "Hello Shadepaw," he purred.

For a moment, Shadefrost was lost for words. The moonlight shone off Poolheart's sleek coat, making him more handsome than ever before. "H-hi," she eventually stammered. Poolheart seemed amused by her hesitation. Shadefrost scuffled her paws in embarrassment and said, "I'm not Shadepaw anymore. I'm Shade_frost_."

Poolheart purred. "That's a nice name you've got, _Shadefrost_."

Shadefrost was mortified when a high-pitched giggle escaped her lips. Poolheart laughed as she ducked her head, too embarrassed to even apologise.

Sunpaw butted Shadefrost's flank with her head. "You a warrior then, eh?" she asked.

Shadefrost was relieved as the moment with Poolheart passed. "Yes," she answered.

"Well guess who else is!" Sunpaw didn't give Shadefrost the change to do so before she squeaked, "Me! I'm Sunfur now."

"That's great." Shadefrost flicked Sunfur's ear with her tail.

Featherpaw came forward last and dipped her head shyly at Shadefrost. "Hi," she mewed.

"Hi Featherpaw. How are you?"

"I'm fine," the apprentice answered, before going to stand beside Poolheart. He wrapped his tail protectively round her paws. Shadefrost felt a pang of jealousy shoot through her but she pushed it away. Poolheart was from another clan and she could not have these feelings for him. And besides, she still loved Foxwhisker even if he didn't feel the same way anymore.

Poolheart sniffed the air. "I smell CaveClan," he said. "It's just like them to be late."

Sure enough, a few seconds later a patrol of CaveClan cats came rushing down the opposite slope, following their leader, Polarstar. Shadefrost frantically scanned the group for Scorchstorm but couldn't see any sign of her mother's black and white pelt. She was probably at the centre of the patrol, Shadefrost concluded, out of my eyesight.

As the CaveClan cats intermingled with the other clans, Shadefrost bid farewell to Poolheart, Sunfur and Featherpaw and went in search of Finchwing. They would confront Scorchstorm together. She spotted her sister talking to a CaveClan cat. She smiled as she recognised the CaveClanner. Running over, she mewed, "Hi Sparklepelt."

Sparklepelt was her friend from CaveClan. The two of them had grown close while trying to keep Blackwing and Fembrook apart, which they had failed at miserably. Sparklepelt had a brother called Bloodspill. Bloodspill, unlike his sister, was not very nice to Shadefrost. He had heard bad things from Rootheart and Swiftclaw about her and had been nasty ever since.

Sparklepelt waved her tail at Shadefrost. "Hey Shade_frost._ Finchwing told me about your warrior ceremony. Congratulations!"

Shadefrost touched noses with her friend. "Thank you," she meowed. "How's things in CaveClan."

Sparklepelt's eyes darkened. "Not good. But we're not allowed to tell any other cat about what's happened. You'll find out once the gathering starts."

"Oh go on and tell us Sparklepelt," Shadefrost pleaded, concerned about the sadness in her friend's voice.

"I'm a loyal warrior, Shadefrost," Sparklepelt said, shaking her head. "I'm not going to disobey my leader's orders. Not even for you. Sorry."

Shadefrost laid her tail on Sparklepelt's shoulder. "That's okay," she assured the CaveClan cat. "I can wait." Changing the subject, Shadefrost asked, "Is Blackwing here?"

"No," Sparklepelt sighed. "After what happened with Fembrook, he's been confined to camp."

"Oh that's a shame. Can you tell him something?"

Sparklepelt nodded. "Yeah sure."

"Just tell him that his kits are fine. One of our queens is suckling them. Tell him that Mintkit's eyes are green and Webkit's are amber."

Sparklepelt's eyes softened. "Aw, are they? That's great!" They purred together.

There was a nudge on Shadefrost's right side and Finchwing whispered in her ear, "Shadefrost I can't see Scorchstorm anywhere."

Shadefrost looked around the clearing. Her sister was right. Their mother was still nowhere to be seen. She turned to Sparklepelt. "Did Scorchstorm not come to this gathering?"

Sparklepelt's head snapped up and she looked alarmed. "N-no," she stuttered. "She... I can't tell you Shadefrost."

Shadefrost was becoming seriously distressed now. Was something wrong with her mother? "What's happened?" she urged Sparklepelt. Her friend looked flustered. Shadefrost didn't care. "Tell me Sparklepelt!"

Sparklepelt opened her mouth to retort when a loud yowl raged across the clearing. The gathering had started.

The yowler, Fallenstar, started to speak from his perch on one of the great oaks. "WoodClan has much to report," he shouted. "Firstly, a few sunrises ago, we were attacked by rogues. With the help of WaterClan, we were able to drive them from the camp but not without sacrifices. We lost Flamefur, Daisypelt and Rustpaw." There were murmurs that travelled around the clearing at this but Shadefrost was too preoccupied to join the sorrow. She was gazing at Polarstar's tree and at the roots where Scorchstorm should have been seated. She wasn't there.

"Onto lighter news," Fallenstar continued. "We have five new kits; Wispkit, Dewkit and Rainkit." He lifted his chin proudly as he mentioned his kits. "And Mintkit and Webkit." He looked at Polarstar as he said this. "Polarstar, you understand that one of your warriors fathered these kits."He paused as shocked mews went up from the WaterClan cats. Once silence was restored, he yowled, "We have a queen suckling the kits and we offer to keep them."

"That is fine Fallenstar," Polarstar answered. "We want every cat to know that CaveClan are dealing with the father and punishing him in our own accord." Shouts of agreement went up from the CaveClan cats.

Fallenstar demanded silence. "Now that that is dealt with, I will finish by saying that we also have three new warriors. Shadowheart, who is not here today, and Shadefrost and Finchwing who are."

Shadefrost scuffed her paws as every eye in the clearing turned on her and Finchwing. It lasted only for a moment but to Shadefrost it went on for moons. At last Fallenstar broke the silence by mewing, "Ripplestar, do you have anything to report?"

Ripplestar nodded. She was a mute cat and at first every cat had doubted her ability to lead WaterClan. But she was a fierce and skilled warrior and had shown her intelligence by devising a communication system with her deputy, Whiteclaw. She used taps of her paws and flicks of her tail which Whiteclaw translated. She was doing it now. Whiteclaw, who was sitting next to her on the oak, yowled, "WaterClan did not lose any cats in the battle against the rogues. We are sorry to hear that WoodClan did." He dipped his head to Fallenstar. "We have a new warrior, Sunfur," he went on, pausing as the gathered cats swivelled to look at Sunfur. She raised her chin proudly. "We also have a new litter of kits." He whispered something to Ripplestar and when she nodded meowed, "That is all. Over to you Polarstar."

Shadefrost sat up straight. This was it. This was when she found out what Sparklepelt was hiding and where Scorchstorm was.

"This moon," Polarstar began. "We have had an outbreak of greencough. It has killed one of Talonclaw's kits, Sparrowkit, an apprentice, Weaselpaw and our deputy, Scorchstorm."

Shadefrost went numb with shock. _What?_ Scorchstorm was dead. She was oblivious to the incredulous mews that rose around the clearing. She stared at Finchwing. Her sister looked almost as stunned as she was. Suddenly a terrible fear rose in her chest. She had lost her father, her brother and now her mother all in one moon. Was she destined to lose her sister too? Creekfall had come to sit beside Finchwing, pressing his pelt against hers but Finchwing looked unaware of his presence. She was staring at Shadefrost, slowly shaking her head. Shadefrost felt words escape her lips but had no idea what they were. Suddenly, some cat butted Shadefrost's flank. It was Sparklepelt. "Shadefrost? What's wrong?"

Shadefrost shook her head and released herself from the numbness. Scorchstorm had not been her mother, Daisypelt had been. Comforted by that thought, she whispered, "Nothing."

Polarstar had started addressing the gathered cats again. "And so now I have the task of choosing a new deputy." Everything in the clearing seemed still as every cat waited with baited breath for the announcement. "The new deputy of CaveClan," Polarstar yowled. "Is Bloodspill."

**Yeah ok a bit of a cliffhanger:) I'll try to update ASAP!**

**Thanks to everyone who submitted a name for Lilacpaw, now I have lots of ideas:)**

**Thanks to all who reviewed: CRAZEDREADER96, xDreamsongx, Jellybean is me, Blossomgleam, NessieXJacob-Mossfeather and Hawfur the Ninja! I almost have 50 reviews. I can't believe I have that many and I've only done 8 or so chapters. Thanks guys - Thanks loads:)**

**Plz help me pass the 50 mark - plz leave a review! I'll be really grateful:):):):):):):)**


	9. Chapter 7

**Firstly I'm SO sorry for my late update. I've been on camp so I haven't really had time. I swear my updates will be quicker from now on - at least every 2 weeks:)**

**Just in case you've forgotten what happened - Foxwhisker is blanking Shadefrost leading her to believe that he doesn't love her anymore, Scorchstorm died of greencough and Bloodspill was appointed the new deputy of CaveClan. Hope that helps, feel free to go back and read up on previous chapters!**

Shadefrost watched as Bloodspill stood up and walked smugly towards the oak tree where his leader sat. He perched on the roots at the bottom and lifted his chin, his blood red eyes filled with pride for himself. Horror rose in her chest and she had no idea why. "What?" she screeched. "Bloodspill?"

Every cat in the clearing turned their eyes on her. "Sorry," she muttered, embarrassed. She saw Bloodspill narrow his eyes at her. She had no idea why she had said that. What was wrong with Bloodspill being deputy?

The eyes slowly filtered away from her and back to Polarstar and Bloodspill. Sparklepelt turned to face her. "You realise it too, don't you?" she whispered.

Shadefrost frowned. "Realise what?"

"That Bloodspill shouldn't be deputy."

Shadefrost stared at her friend, amazed. "Bloodspill's your brother. Why don't you want him to be deputy?"

Sparklepelt hung her head. "I know that I'm supposed to support him and I'm really ashamed of this, but something doesn't feel right. Bloodspill's only been a warrior for two moons. He's too inexperienced to be deputy. Polarstar should have picked Talltail or Slashclaw instead. I just have a nagging tug that this is going to be bad for the clan."

Shadefrost realised that the same nag tugged at her heart. "You're right," she murmured. "You better keep a good eye on him. Make sure that he doesn't go astray."

The two she-cats had been so engrossed in their conversation that they only realised that the gathering was over when the cats around them started to disperse. Finchpelt touched Shadefrost on the shoulder. "Are you coming?" she asked.

Shadefrost nodded. "Sure, just let me say goodbye first." She turned to Sparklepelt. "I'll see you soon," she said, touching her friend on the shoulder. "Goodbye."

Sparklepelt touched her nose to Shadefrost's. "Bye. I'll keep an eye on Bloodspill." She turned and bounded off to where her clanmates were forming.

Shadefrost was about to join her own clanmates when a black paw blocked her way. She looked up and her green eyes met blood red ones. "Shadefrost," Bloodspill hissed.

Shadefrost stared back at him defiantly. "Bloodspill."

Bloodspill snarled. "Do you doubt that I can be a deputy?" He didn't give her time to answer. "Because I'll show you. You're right. I can't be just a deputy. I need to be a leader. Polarstar's old, on his last life. Soon he'll die and I'll be Bloodstar. And when that happens you and your weak clan better watch out. Because I'll always be watching you. I'm an ambitious cat Shadefrost. I want my clan to be the most powerful clan in the forest. Nothing will get in my way." He stepped back from her. "Enjoy yourself," he spat. "While you can."

Shadefrost watched as the padded to join his clan. Bloodspill wasn't just nasty, he was evil. The worst thing was that there was no one than she could tell. No cat in her clan would believe her. She would just have to put her faith in Sparklepelt and hope that her friend could keep the ambitious deputy under control.

A cat called her name. "Shadefrost, we're going." It was Shrewfur. Shadefrost turned and ran to join the WoodClan patrol, worries about the future of CaveClan piling up in her head.

* * *

As Shadefrost entered the warriors den, she tried vainly not to panic. It was not good when one of the most important cats in the forest held a grudge against you. Surely Polarstar wasn't that old. Surely he would rule CaveClan for moons to come. Anyway, Bloodspill's words would not come true. There were good cats in CaveClan. They would never let their leader ruin their clan. She let these thoughts comfort her and slid through the bracken entrance.

She had been at the back of the group when they had returned from the gathering and so all of the patrol was already in their nests. Shadefrost saw Foxwhisker, looking at her with troubled eyes. She took a step towards the tom, before remembering that he didn't love her anymore. She veered away awkwardly, not looking back to see his expression.

She approached the spot where Finchwing and Creekfall slept. The two of them were sharing tongues quietly so as not to wake the cats that slept around them. When Shadefrost joined them, Finchwing looked at her, concerned. "Has something happened between you and Foxwhisker?"

Shadefrost sighed. She didn't want to be reminded that he didn't want her. "I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled.

"Are you sure?" her sister pressed. "I could help..."

Shadefrost jumped to her paws. She didn't want to be badgered. "I don't want to talk about it," she repeated, snarling.

Finchwing looked quite taken aback. Creekfall wrapped his tail around her paws. "Don't talk to her like that," he hissed. "She was only trying to help."

"Sorry Finchwing," Shadefrost whispered, her voice softened. "But I really don't want to talk about it." She padded away, not listening to her sister's reply.

Shadowheart and Sootwhisker were sleeping at the far edge of the den. The two of them were not far apart, the tips of their hairs touching. Shadefrost wandered what had happened between the two of them on the tracking expedition that had made them so close. Whatever it was it had been a good thing. There was not much room beside them but Shadefrost had no choice. The other three corners of the den were taken up by Finchwing, Foxwhisker and Rootheart and the centre was only for senior warriors. Squeezing her body into the small gap between Sootwhisker and the edge of the den, she curled up. Her side pressed uncomfortably against the prickly wall of the den but Shadefrost was too tired to care. Sleep crashed over her like a tidal wave.

**So Bloodspill is evil? You'll have to wait and see what happens in CaveClan.**

**Thanks for all the reviews - JeLlYbEaN iS mE, xDreamsongx, XxXxSkyheartxXxX, CRAZEDREADER96, XLeafheartX, Silversong x2, Hawkfur the Ninja, Blossomgleam, ArrowFey, Simplicityy22 and {myself(JK).} I'm sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter.**

**I'll update soon (I mean it this time) - Please leave a review:)**


	10. Chapter 8

**Ok, I promised a quick update, so here it is! I was sensing that this fic was getting a bit static so I've decieded to move it on a bit.**

Shadefrost woke to find many thorns stuck in her pelt. They scratched against her skin like sharp claws. Hissing, she slowly began to get rid of them, wincing as each one slid out of her flesh. I will never sleep so close to the wall again, she promised herself.

The den was still full as it was only early morning. Shadefrost wandered why she had woken so early. She usually slept until sunhigh after a gathering. Shaking the sleep from her legs, she carefully climbed over Shadowheart and Sootwhisker before exiting the den.

The sky was still dark and a freezing wind ruffled Shadefrost's soft coat. She shivered. Why was leafbare so cold? She jumped as the leaves rustled behind her. Spinning around, she saw Foxwhisker stepping out of the warriors den. "Oh," she gasped. "Foxwhisker, you scared me."

"Huh." Foxwhisker nodded. "Sorry." He started to walk past her. Shadefrost felt pain well in her heart. She had to at least know why he didn't love her anymore.

"Foxwhisker," she meowed, catching him up. "What's wrong?"  
Foxwhisker sighed. "Oh not this again."

"But..."

"Shadefrost, it doesn't matter."

"But..."

"No buts, just accept it."

"Foxwhisker..." She halted abruptly when he shoved his muzzle in her face.

"Just leave me alone," he snarled slowly. He kept his muzzle there for a while. Shadefrost was numb with shock. Where was her kind, gentle Foxwhisker? The one that she loved. A whimper escaped her lips and she turned and fled, just wanting to get as far away as possible from this nightmare.

She heard Foxwhisker shout, "Shadefrost wait." But she did not stop. Her paws acted of their own accord, sending her flying through the undergrowth with the speed of a fox. Her mind was dead. It throbbed with pain and shock. There was no doubting it now. Foxwhisker didn't want her, he hated her.

She carried on running for what seemed like moons. She only stopped when she reached the stonewall, the boundary between WoodClan and WaterClan. This was where Foxwhisker had first told her that he loved her. She remembered it so clearly; his soft tail twining with hers, her head resting on his muscular shoulder, his deep rumbling purr in her ears. Her legs trembled and collapsed beneath her. She did not attempt to get up, she just lay there and let the grief and pain overthrow her.

Something touched her flank. She did not respond. "Shadefrost," a voice whispered gently. It could not be him. It was just her memories coming back to haunt her. The voice sounded again, so amazing, so painful. She lifted her eyelid slightly and saw a flash of ginger. It was him!

She got to her paws. He was staring at her, his beautiful blue eyes filled with regret. He opened his mouth to speak but she got there first. "So what is it?" she murmured, her voice hoarse with pain. "Why don't you want me anymore?"

Shock replaced the regret. "Shadefrost! I do want you, it's just..."

"Just what Foxwhisker? Is there another she-cat? Lilacpaw's pretty, Shadowheart's beautiful..."

His tail slapped over her mouth. "You know that's not true. You're the most beautiful she-cat and you always will be. To me."

He was so handsome, so strong... Shadefrost pushed the thoughts away. "Then why have you been acting all weird. When I didn't want to be a warrior you promised me that you would make being one worthwhile. You said that we'd go hunting together, eat fresh-kill together and then sleep in the warriors den with our pelts brushing. Well so far you haven't done any of those things. You've ignored me and snapped at me." She shook her head and continued in a whisper. "You don't love me anymore."

Foxwhisker gasped and took a step towards her but she backed away. "Shadefrost," he mewed, his eyes filled with pain. "I still love you. I'll never stop loving you."

Shadefrost's paws itched for her to run and press herself into his warm pelt. Instead, she meowed, "Then what's wrong."

Foxwhisker shook his head. "I can't... I can't..."

Shadefrost looked him sternly in the eye. "Tell me Foxwhisker."

Foxwhisker sighed. "I've been having dreams," he said. "You'll probably think I'm mad but these dreams are really vivid, as if I'm really there. I dream that I'm in the mountains and it's really cold. I walk along a path between two peaks. A stream trickles under my paws. I walk along the path until I get to a single fir tree. Then I jump up onto this really narrow ledge right above my head. I make my way along the ledge and it disappears into a vertical drop. I look over the drop and I see a camp of cats. Three of the cats see me and they make their way up the cliff. They're impossibly agile. I try to run but my paws won't let me. I watch as the cats come towards me but just before they reach me it all goes black." Foxwhisker paused and blinked, his eyes clouded with fear and confusion. "It's so black that I can't even see myself," he continued, in a whisper. "A voice rumbles in my ears saying, "You must go to the mountains Foxwhisker and help the flying star reach his full potential. But beware a stripe of snow for it is hiding something unexpected and familiar." I try to call out to the voice but it only fades and leaves me in darkness." He turned to look at Shadefrost. He was visibly shaking now. "I-I know I shouldn't have taken it out on you but I was just so scared and... and... I..." He trailed off and let his head hang low over his chest.

Shadefrost was stunned. Foxwhisker's dream sounded like one she had received a moon ago, warning her about Rustpaw's death. She had not known then what it had meant and so had chosen to ignore it until it was too late. She peered up at Foxwhisker. The ginger tom had not moved. She felt a purr of happiness rise in her throat. He _did_ want her!

She raced across the gap between them and pressed herself to his side. "I love you so much," she mewed.

Foxwhisker stared down at her, his blue eyes shining. "You're not still mad?"

"No."

Foxwhisker purred. "I'm so sorry Shadefrost. I'm the most mousebrained tom in the world for letting you think that I didn't want you."

Shadefrost nodded and looked up at him. "You are but I love you for it."

Foxwhisker rubbed his cheek against hers. "I love you too."

Shadefrost wound her tail with his and drew back a small way so that she could look him in the eye. "I don't think you're mad," she told him. "I think that we have to take this dream seriously."

Foxwhisker's eyes darkened. "You don't have to get involved with this if you don't want to Shadefrost. It's my dream."

"No," she meowed. "I don't mind. I had a dream so vivid I could smell it just before Rustpaw died. I didn't tell anyone and I felt so alone."

Foxwhisker gasped. "You could have told me."

Shadefrost smiled. "I guess I was a bit embarrassed about it. I didn't think any cat would take me seriously. I just ignored the dream and now my brother is dead because of it."

"Are you saying that I should take my dream seriously?"

Shadefrost nodded vigorously. "Exactly. Whether you like it or not, Foxwhisker this dream is going to come true."

Foxwhisker looked shocked and then he blinked and the alarm was replaced with tender love. He pulled her back to his side and rested his head lightly on top of hers. "We can worry about that later," he murmured. "Nothing can spoil this moment."

Shadefrost purred and snuggled into his warm chest fur. The sun was just rising over the forest and the lake in WaterClan territory sparkled in its light. Foxwhisker rasped his tongue over her soft ear. "Shadefrost..." he breathed.

Shadefrost licked his chin. "Don't ever leave me again," she murmured.

Foxwhisker wound his tail with hers. "I never ever will," he promised. He pulled back so he could look into her eyes. "I love you Shadefrost. Never forget that."

**That should of pleased any ShadeXFox fans!**

**Thank you to Simplicity22, CRAZEDREADER96, JeLlYbEaN iS mE, Pebbleclaw, Blossomgleam, Hawkfur the Ninja and XxXxSkyheartxXxX for your reviews:)**

**I won't be updating for a fortnight cos I'm going on a two week camp! (Yeah, I go on loads of camps) But I'll update when I get back!**

**PLZ REVIEW! Your review is highly appreciated:)**


	11. Chapter 9

**Okay, I realise I haven't updated for ages AGAIN! So I'm hoping to make it up to my loyal readers by posting 2 chapters today:)**

Shadefrost stalked the mouse, her paws making no noise on the hard ground. She silently flexed her claws, inching forward a few more tail-lengths.

She had it.

Bunching her leg muscles, she sprang. The mouse slipped quickly out of her way. Hissing, she gave chase, pelting through the undergrowth at great speed. She flipped the mouse in the air just before it reached its burrow. The helpless creature flew up, its tiny legs flailing in panic. Shadefrost caught it in her mouth and killed it.

She carried her victim back to where she had buried the rest of her prey, her tail swinging happily from side to side. It was nearing the end of the day and she still was buzzing about her time with Foxwhisker that morning. She knew that she ought to be worrying about the ginger tom's ominous dream but right now she was finding it hard to. How could she be anxious when she was so in love?

She dropped the mouse on top of the rest of her catch. It was pretty measly, consisting of only a raven, two rabbits, a vole and the mouse, but then it always was in leafbare. Not for the first time Shadefrost couldn't remember the last time she had eaten.

She picked up the fresh-kill in her jaws and headed to where she was supposed to be meeting the rest of the hunting patrol. Lynxpaw was already there, holding a huge rabbit proudly in his jaws. Shadefrost gasped and dropped her prey at his paws. "Wow, Lynxpaw," she meowed. "That's _massive_! I've never caught anything as big as that. And in leafbare too! How did you do it?"

Lynxpaw purred and dropped the rabbit so he could speak. "I was just stalking a mouse when it leapt out the undergrowth. Just like that! I leapt forward and caught it." He scraped his paws on the ground shyly. "It was luck really."

Shadefrost poked the rabbit. "Well whether it was luck or not, that'll feed the whole nursery _and _the elders."

Lynxpaw's eyes lit up. "I can take it to the nursery and give it to Emberkit," he mewed excitedly.

Shadefrost's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Just Emberkit?"

Lynxpaw frowned and coughed. "No, of course Lilyface and Breezewing as well," he muttered.

Shadefrost laughed. Lynxpaw was not very open about his liking for Emberkit but it was obvious that he had interest in her.

Just then Icestorm and Shrewfur, the other members of the patrol, emerged from some bushes, prey dangling from their mouths. They both gasped when they saw Lynxpaw's rabbit. "Oh StarClan," Shrewfur exclaimed while Icestorm rushed forward to congratulate her apprentice. "How is that rabbit so fat? It must be eating extra-grow grass or something!"

* * *

Shadefrost dropped two mice, a vole and a rabbit on the fresh-kill pile. Behind her, Lynxpaw held his mega-rabbit proudly as he strolled over to the nursery. She purred, amused, and picked a small sparrow off the pile.

She carried it over to where Foxwhisker was devouring a mouse. He purred when she approached and slapped the ground next to him with his tail. Shadefrost smiled and settled down beside him, letting her pelt touch his. "So what did you do today?" she asked him, picking feathers off the sparrow and spitting them on the floor.

Foxwhisker swallowed a bite of mouse. "Oh I just went on patrol with Ratclaw. He says that Venompaw will be back in training in a few sunrises."

"That's good," Shadefrost mewed, imagining how restless the grey apprentice would be cooped up in Swallowfeather's den.

"How about you?" Foxwhisker nudged her ear.

"I went hunting with Lynxpaw. Did you see the size of the rabbit he caught?"

Foxwhisker shook his head. "No."

Shadefrost took a bite of sparrow. "It was absolutely huge."

Foxwhisker finished his mouse. "Good on him."

He turned to face her. "I was planning on leaving tomorrow," he mewed.

Shadefrost gaped at him. "What?"

"I-I want to go to the mountains," Foxwhisker told her. "I want to find out why I was sent this dream because you're right. If I just ignore it something bad might happen."He laid his tail on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Shadefrost shook it off. "Ok," she meowed. "Ok. If you're going then I'm coming with you."

Foxwhisker's eyes widened in alarm. "Shadefrost, you can't come. The journey might be dangerous and I'll never forgive myself if you get hurt."

Shadefrost looked into his eyes. "I'm not a little kit Foxwhisker," she mewed gently. "I'm not even an apprentice anymore. I can look after myself."

"But Shadefrost, what if..."

Shadefrost scuttled closer to him, so that their noses where only a beetlelength apart. "You promised me, at sunrise, that you would never leave me again. If you go on this journey alone, you leave me behind in WoodClan. You're breaking your promise. It's safer anyway if you let me go with you..."

She was cut off when Foxwhisker hissed, "How is it safer? You come on a potentially dangerous journey with me instead of staying here. Sure that's safe, that's..."

Shadefrost slapped her tail over his mouth. "It is safer because if we don't go together then I will follow you. I'll be alone. Is that safer?"

Foxwhisker sighed. "Alright you can come. But I will kill myself if you die because I let you..."

Shadefrost pressed her forehead to his, silencing him. "I don't ever want to be away from you," she murmured, looking deep into his eyes.

Foxwhisker's eyes were pools of love. "We'll always be together," he breathed. "I love you."

They stayed like that for a few moments and then Shadefrost drew back, yawning. "I'm going to get some sleep," she mewed.

Foxwhisker nodded. "Me too."

They padded over to the warriors den, their pelts brushing. Inside, it was warm as the heat radiated off the pelts of many different cats. Shadefrost spotted Sootwhisker and Shadowheart sharing tongues where she had slept last night. Finchwing and Creekfall were also grooming each other. Shadefrost was reminded that she had not yet spoken to her sister about what had occurred at the gathering. To be honest, she couldn't care less. Scorchstorm and Bloodspill were at the back of her mind, overwhelmed by thoughts of the mountains and the journey that she and Foxwhisker were about to embark on. As she gazed round at her fellow warriors, Shadefrost realised that she could not just leave without giving them notice. The clan would think that she had run away which would prove her disloyal.

As she and Foxwhisker settled down beside each other, she meowed, "We need to tell Fallenstar about this."

Foxwhisker frowned. "Why?"

"We can't just leave the clan. We'd never be able to return!"

Foxwhisker looked thoughtful. "I suppose you're right," he mewed. "How about we tell Fallenstar at dawn?"

"That sounds good." Shadefrost sighed and lay down, exhausted. She found herself staring into Foxwhisker's light blue eyes. She purred and shuffled closer to the ginger tom. They fell asleep with their pelts touching for the first time in moons.

**I know - awww!**

**Right, don't stop reading there - there's another chapter. Read it!**


	12. Chapter 10

**Okay here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

Something wet rasped over Shadefrost's ear, rousing her from her slumber. "Foxwhisker," she purred, her voice groggy from sleep. "Leave me alone."

He nudged her gently in the side. "Come on Shadefrost. We've got to go and tell Fallenstar."

Shadefrost's eyes snapped open. They were leaving today! She leapt to her paws. "Oh yeah," she mewled. "I forgot."

Foxwhisker slapped his tail over her mouth. "Sssh," he whispered, alarm sparkling in his eyes. "You'll wake everyone else."

Shadefrost stared at him guiltily. "Oops," she murmured. "Sorry!"

Foxwhisker nodded and led the way out of the den.

Once in the clearing, he mewed, "Even if Fallenstar doesn't give us permission to go, it won't stop me." He drew closer to Shadefrost. "You still don't have to come, you know?"

"I'm sticking with you," Shadefrost answered instantly. "You know that."

Foxwhisker's tail drooped. "Oh, I wish you weren't so stubborn," he hissed, not unkindly. "I really don't want you to get hurt."

Shadefrost looked at him reassuringly. "I won't get hurt because you'll be there to protect me." She flicked her tail over his ear and raced across the empty clearing to Fallenstar's den, which was situated in the trunk of the oak tree.

She paused and waited for Foxwhisker at the entrance and then they entered side by side. Shadefrost had never been inside the leader's den before. It was much warmer than the warriors den, insulated by the moss that resided on the walls. The entrance was closed off by a layer of ferns and vines. Fallenstar's nest was in the far corner, in a gap between two roots. It was made of moss and looked much softer than the ones in the warriors den. Fallenstar himself was asleep, his chest rhythmically rising and falling in his slumber.

Shadefrost looked questioningly at Foxwhisker. "Are you sure we shouldn't come back when he's awake?"

Foxwhisker shook his head. "I don't want to do this when the clan is awake. They could overhear us."

"But Fallenstar might be annoyed if we wake him. We don't have the right to..."

She was cut off as some cat meowed, "And what might you be doing in my den?"

Shadefrost spun around to see Fallenstar, fully awake, standing in his nest with open curiosity in his eyes. She gasped and dipped her head to the leader. "Sorry Fallenstar, did we wake you?"  
Fallenstar shook his head, removing bits of moss that clung to his ears. "No." He padded over so that he could stand before them. "Please sit down. You should know that I am approachable at all times."

Foxwhisker sat pulling Shadefrost with him. "Thank you Fallenstar."

The leader surveyed them, drawing his eyes slowly over Foxwhisker and then Shadefrost. "So what is it that you want?"

Foxwhisker looked nervously at Shadefrost. She nodded at him encouragingly. "Well basically Fallenstar," the ginger warrior began. "I've been having strange dreams. Dreams so vivid that I can taste them."

Fallenstar blinked in surprise. "Dreams?"

Foxwhisker nodded. "Yes dreams. Well dream actually. I have the same dream every night." He took a deep breath and then described his dream to his leader. "And then the voice disappears," he concluded. "And I am left in darkness."

Fallenstar frowned. "This dream of yours sounds like a dream a leader or a medicine cat would receive. I myself have had vivid dreams warning me about things to come." He looked at his two warriors. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"We want to leave," Shadefrost told him. "We want to go to the mountains and find the 'flying star'."

"You want to leave?" Fallenstar meowed in surprise.

They nodded. "Yes," Foxwhisker mewed. "As soon as possible. Preferably today."

Fallenstar looked at them critically. "You do know that I can't afford to lose my warriors. It is leafbare."

Foxwhisker nodded. "Yes we know that Fallenstar. But this is really important. If we just ignore the dream then something bad might happen."

"Do you even know what this flying star is?" Fallenstar asked, his voice calm.

Shadefrost shook her head. "Not exactly. But I have some ideas. The stars are in Silverpelt, right?" She waited for her leader to nod. "And Silverpelt is where all the dead cats go; you know when they go to StarClan? Each star represents a cat. So maybe the flying star is a StarClan cat."

Fallenstar nodded, deep in thought. "I suppose it could be. But what about the snow stripe?"

There was silence. Eventually Shadefrost broke it. "We don't know yet Fallenstar."

Fallenstar nodded. "Right." He looked at them. "This is a ridiculous request yet I am intrigued to find out more. You may go to the mountains but I want you back by the first moon of newleaf. That gives you three moons at the most. Leave today at sunhigh."

Shadefrost and Foxwhisker shared a triumphant glance. "Thank you Fallenstar," Foxwhisker said, his voice full of excitement and gratitude. "We won't disappoint you."

The leader nodded. "You better not. I am being extremely lenient by letting you go." He flicked his tail towards the entrance of his den. "You may leave now."

The two warriors started towards the clearing but before they got there, Shadefrost mewed, "What will you tell the clan?"

Fallenstar thought for a moment and then said, "I shall tell them that you are being sent on a special warrior mission."

Shadefrost nodded and then exited the den.

* * *

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Oak tree for a clan meeting." Just before sunhigh, Fallenstar's call rang out across the clearing. Shadefrost, who had been eating a vole in preparation for her journey, swallowed the last bite and raced to sit underneath the Oak tree. Her heart pounded in excitement. In a few minutes she and Foxwhisker would be leaving for the mountains. The ginger tom came and sat beside her now, rasping his tongue over her ear. She looked at him and purred.

Her temper verged on impatience as the cats filtered out of their dens much too slowly. She hissed and lashed her tail. They never were this slow normally, were they? Eventually, the majority of the clan was seated beneath the Oak tree and Fallenstar called, "Today, two of our warriors are going on a special warrior mission. They are going to the mountains as a request from StarClan."

Yowls irrupted from the gathered cats. "Who is going?

"Why?"

"StarClan?"

Fallenstar silenced them with a lash of his tail. "Shadefrost and Foxwhisker will be going," the leader continued. "They will be leaving at sunhigh." With that he leapt down from the Oak tree and padded into his den.

There was a stunned silence. Shadefrost winced as every cat in the clearing turned to look at her. Foxwhisker wrapped his tail protectively around her paws. "So," some cat eventually mewed. "You're leaving us."

Shadefrost turned to see the source of the voice. It was Rootheart. "Well what a surprise," the brown tom continued. "I always knew you were disloyal."

"Yeah," Swiftclaw piped in. "You can't even stay for a moon after becoming a warrior. You're still a rogue at heart, aren't you Rougepaw."

Shadefrost hissed at the use of her apprenticeship catcall. She opened her mouth to retort but another cat got there first. "Back off," Lynxpaw snarled.

Swiftclaw laughed. "Ooh a little apprentice challenging us!"

"Well I'm not sticking around to be told off by an apprentice," Rootheart jeered. "I'm going hunting, coming Swiftclaw?"

Swiftclaw nodded and the two sly toms whipped around and stalked out of camp.

"I'm sure that Shadefrost has a good reason to go," Lynxpaw shouted after them. He turned to face Shadefrost. "You do, don't you?"

Every cat turned their eyes back on her and Foxwhisker. "StarClan told Fallenstar in a dream to send two warriors to the mountains," Foxwhisker lied. "And we were willing to go. We're doing this for the clan."

There was another silence before Finchwing stepped forward. "How can you leaving be good for the clan?" She flicked her tail, first at Foxwhisker, and then at Shadefrost. "Foxwhisker you're a great fighter and Shadefrost you're one of the best hunters in the clan." She looked pleadingly at her sister. "Don't go."

Shadefrost felt emotion well up in her heart. She would be leaving behind so much; her sister, her littermate, and her friends. But if she didn't go then she would be leaving Foxwhisker and that would hurt a hundred times more. She rushed over to Finchwing and laid her head on her sister's shoulder. "I'm going to miss you so much," she murmured. "But I have to go."

Finchwing drew back and pressed her nose to Shadefrost's. "I'll miss you too. Goodbye." She leaned forward and whispered, "My sister."

"Sister," Shadefrost breathed.

Following Finchwing's lead, one by one, the cats came forward to bid farewell to Shadefrost and Foxwhisker. After having received a lick from Icestorm and Sootwhisker, Shadefrost was approached by Lynxpaw. She felt sadness clutch her soul. She would really miss Lynxpaw's calm, funny demeanour. "Hey Lynxpaw," she mewed.

Lynxpaw nodded, his eyes full of sorrow. "Hey."

There was an uncomfortable silence. "You know," Shadefrost meowed. "By the time I get back you might be a warrior."

The golden tom blinked. "Yes," he sighed. "But then you won't be there to see me become one."

"Oh Lynxpaw." Shadefrost pushed her nose into his warm fur. "I'll really miss you."

Lynxpaw rasped his tongue over her ear. "Goodbye Shadefrost," he mewed. "I hope you have a good journey and come back soon."

Shadefrost pulled back to look him in the eye. "I will," she promised. "I'll see you become a warrior."

Lynxpaw smiled and pulled back so that Ratclaw could bid them goodbye.

By the time Shadowheart neared her, Shadefrost was so overcome with emotions that she could barely stand on her paws. Saying goodbye to her old mentor, Shrewfur, had taken what little control she had out of her.

Shadowheart pressed her nose to Shadefrost's. "I'll miss you, Shadefrost."

Shadefrost swayed on her paws. "Goodbye Shadowheart." She thought for a second. "Are you and Sootwhisker, you know, a couple?" she asked uncertainly.

Shadowheart sighed. "I suppose." She looked guiltily at Shadefrost. "Are you angry?"

"Angry? Why would I be angry?"

"Well Rustpaw was your brother and I really miss him, I do. I feel like I'm betraying him by being with Sootwhisker. At first I tried to pull away but Sootwhisker was so nice to me and he made me feel right for the first time since Rustpaw died. I think I might love him but I don't know what to do next. I don't know if Rustpaw would approve."

Shadefrost laid her tail on her friends black shoulder. "Don't worry," she assured her. "Do you remember what Rustpaw told you to do when he died? He told you to be happy. Does Sootwhisker make you happy?" When Shadowheart nodded, she said, "Well then he'll be happy that you're happy."

"Yeah, well, I suppose." Shadowheart grinned at Shadefrost. "I guess I'll be more open with Sootwhisker now. Thanks Shadefrost and bye. Have a good journey!" She pressed her nose briefly to Shadefrost's before racing off, most likely to find Sootwhisker. Shadefrost purred after her friend, happy that Shadowheart was happy at last.

She turned to look at Foxwhisker. He was talking to Hollyfrost, nodding occasionally. As Shadefrost watched, Hollyfrost laid her tail on his shoulder and he respectfully licked hers. Seeing Shadefrost, he padded over to her. "Hollyfrost says we need to go and get travelling herbs from Swallowfeather and Silkpaw," he mewed. "Then we can go." Shadefrost nodded glumly. Foxwhisker frowned. "What's up?"

Shadefrost shook her head. "I'm just sad to say goodbye."

Foxwhisker nodded. "It is hard. You still don't have to come you know?"

"I'm coming." Shadefrost flicked her tail over his ear. "There's no way you're stopping me."

Foxwhisker pressed his nose to her cheek. "Ok I see there's no way of stopping you."

The two of them made their way towards the medicine cats den. Inside, it was warm and comfortable, the thick layer of ferns that surrounded it acting as a barrier against the harsh weather of leafbare. Swallowfeather and Silkpaw were nowhere to be seen so Shadefrost made her way over to where Venompaw was sitting upright in his nest. The grey tabby's eye was no longer covered in cobwebs and Shadefrost could clearly see the ugly scar that ran down the right side of it, spoiling his good looks slightly.

Venompaw looked up when she approached. "Hey Shadefrost."

"Hi Venompaw," Shadefrost meowed. "How's your eye?"

Venompaw blinked. "Oh not too bad. It was worse last sunrise. I couldn't even blink. I hate being cooped up in here." He looked at Shadefrost with interest. "So um, I hear you're going on a warrior mission."

She nodded. "Yeah. Me and Foxwhisker have come for travelling herbs."

"I wish I could go on a warrior mission," the apprentice sighed. "It would be so fun!"

Shadefrost purred. "Well you'll have to be a warrior first."

Venompaw nodded. "Hopefully that won't be too far away. Me and Lilacpaw have been training for almost five moons."

There was a rustle in the ferns behind them and Silkpaw and Swallowfeather stepped through, their mouths full of herbs. Venompaw touched his nose to Shadefrost's. "Have a good journey Shadefrost."

"I hope I will," she said, licking his ear. "Goodbye Venompaw."

"Bye."

Shadefrost turned away from the grey apprentice and padded to join Foxwhisker, Swallowfeather and Silkpaw. She realised, with a rush of grief that she would have to leave her littermate behind. Silkpaw was as good as her sister and she would miss her dearly. Swallowfeather was pointing with her tail to each of the herbs. "You take this," she mewed, indicating a prickly grey leaf. "Then you eat this." She pointed out a softer green leaf. "And you finish with juniper berries to wash the taste from your mouth."

Foxwhisker nodded. "Thanks Swallowfeather." He bent down and started to lap up the herbs. Shadefrost watched as his face contorted into a grimace of revulsion, then sighed and ate the prickly grey leaf. It pocked uncomfortably at her tongue and it definitely didn't taste good. She fought the urge to spit and instead swallowed, scowling as the spiky edges of the leaf scratched her throat. The soft green herb had a slightly better texture but it didn't taste any better than the grey one. Wincing, she swallowed and didn't pause to eat the juniper berries. They tasted sweet after the bitter sharpness of the travelling herbs.

Sighing, she realised that the den was much clearer than it had been before. The colours were much more vivid and bright. She could hear a mouse scuffling around in the undergrowth. She could smell it too. "Wow," she gasped. "These herbs really do work."

"Yeah but they don't taste good," Silkpaw mewed. "We have to take them when we visit the diamond caves." The diamond caves were sacred caves in the side of a hill, residing in the far north of WaterClan territory. When medicine cats and leaders entered, they had strange dreams from StarClan. The caves were also where new leaders went to receive their nine lives. "I could see from your facial expressions that you didn't enjoy the herbs," Silkpaw commented.

Shadefrost turned to the medicine cat apprentice. The time had come to say goodbye to her littermate. She opened her mouth to speak but she was so overcome with emotion that only a strangle gurgle came out. Silkpaw laid her tail on the new warrior's shoulder. "It's okay Shadefrost, I'll miss you too."

Shadefrost nodded and rubbed her cheek against Silkpaw's, breathing in her littermate's sweet herby scent. "Goodbye Silkpaw," she whispered.

"Bye." Silkpaw touched her nose to Shadefrost's and then stepped back so that she could address Foxwhisker as well. "Have a great journey!"

Foxwhisker nodded and turned to Swallowfeather. "Goodbye Swallowfeather."

Swallowfeather dipped her head. "Look after yourselves."

Foxwhisker started to pad out of the den, mewing, "We will." Shadefrost followed the ginger tom. As she neared the exit, she turned and looked back at Silkpaw. The white she-cat raised her tail in farewell and Shadefrost did the same, feeling sadness clutch her heart.

She and Foxwhisker padded through the main clearing at a brisk pace, only stopping to bid final farewells. As Foxwhisker slid through the camp exit, Shadefrost paused and looked back. She could see Finchwing and Shrewfur sharing tongues. Shadowheart and Sootwhisker were lying side by side, their pelts touching. Lynxpaw was sitting outside the nursery, carefully cleansing Emberkit's ears. As Shadefrost watched, Dewkit leapt out of the nursery and ran halfway across the clearing before Breezewing caught up with her and ushered the small grey kit back towards the nursery. Shadefrost would miss them all so much. She wandered what would happen to them while she was away. Would Lynxpaw become a warrior? Emberkit an apprentice? Would Dewkit finally behave? What would Finchwing and Shrewfur get up to? How would Shadowheart and Sootwhisker's relationship develop? She sighed, the answers to her questions unknown, and followed Foxwhisker into the forest.

**Okay, those were 2 pretty long chapters huh?**

** I'd like to say "I'll update soon" but I'm not gonna. You see the thing is, I'm kinda losing insparation for this story. I'm a bit bored of it to be honest. And when I get bored the writing does not flow from me and is sometimes a bit clunky. I want to make this story as good as possible and to do that I need to be inspired. I'm not saying that I'm never gonna update again. In fact it's most likely that I will update it again. But I just feel that I need to write something new and not centred around warriors, you know to keep me entertained. So I'm gonna put this story on hold for a while, just so I can get some of my inspiration back. I hope you understand and I'm sorry.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 8 - Skyheart, Pebbleclaw, CRAZEDREADER96, Blossomgleam, Hawkfur the Ninja, Stormcloud and Pennypatch. **

**So um thanks and bye - for now.**


	13. A VERY long update

**Okay, before I decided to stop writing this I wrote more chapters. Loads of you have been asking for me to update in your reviews so I have put up all that I have. If you want to read it you can, but I must warn you its very very long so provide like a day if you are a slow reader like me (JK) Enjoy!**

The sun was just sinking in the sky when Shadefrost and Foxwhisker reached the boundary between WoodClan and WaterClan territory. They leapt up onto the stonewall and surveyed to scene before them. The sun reflected off the lake that resided in the east, bathing the water in a pearly glow. To the north lay the distant mountains. Seeing how big the peaks were even though they were so far away, sent shivers down Shadefrost's spine. The sheer size of the mountains was beyond anything that she had ever encountered. Slowly, she drew her eyes away and looked instead at Foxwhisker. "Big, aren't they?" she commented, waving her tail toward the mountains.

He nodded. "So big. I don't think it'll be easy to find the shooting star there."

Shadefrost frowned. "Do you have any ideas to what the shooting star is?"

"No." Foxwhisker shook his head. "I think the best thing to do is to find the cats that I saw in my dream. Maybe they can help us."

"Maybe." Shadefrost glanced across the vastness of WaterClan territory. Although it was large, the marshy land was hard to hunt in and so WaterClan needed the biggest territory in order to support their cats. "Shall we go then," Shadefrost mewed to Foxwhisker. "If we hurry we could be across WaterClan territory by moonhigh."

Foxwhisker shook his head. "I say we wait awhile," the ginger tom meowed. "We don't want to run into a WaterClan patrol and there'll be less likely to be one after sundown."

Shadefrost nodded and adjusted her position on the Stonewall so that she was more comfortable. As they waited, she found her thoughts drifting back to her clanmates. She felt a pain tug at her heart, pulling her back home. But she pushed it away. She knew that the pain would have been much worse if she had been separated from Foxwhisker. She turned to the ginger tom. "Will you miss them?"

"Who?"

"Everyone back at camp."

Foxwhisker nodded and his blue eyes filled with emotion. "I will," he murmured. "I'll miss Ratclaw and Icestorm, Sootwhisker and Shrewfur. But what I'll miss the most is the companionship, the never being alone." He turned to Shadefrost. "But I would have missed you more than all of those things. I suppose I'm glad that you came with me, even though I'm worried that you'll get hurt."

Shadefrost purred and shuffled closer to him, so that their pelts touched. "I'm glad that I came too." She shivered as a blast of icy wind slammed into her side. Foxwhisker noticed the movement and wound his tail around her haunches. They stayed like that for a while, not speaking, content in each other's companionship. Inch by inch, the sun sank deeper and deeper in the sky, until eventually it was blocked by the towering peak of a mountain.

Foxwhisker unravelled his tail from Shadefrost and whispered, "It's time." She nodded and stood up, stretching the stiffness from her limbs. Together, she and Foxwhisker leapt off the Stonewall and onto enemy territory. Shadefrost hissed as her paws sunk into the depths of the marshy ground.

"Urggh," she spat, pulling her forepaw out of the bog with an unpleasant squelching sound. It was covered in watery mud. "Urggh," she repeated, shaking the mud from her paw. "How can the WaterClan cats bear to live in this?"

"I suppose they've just adapted to it," Foxwhisker mewed. He took a few steps forward, a grimace forming on his muzzle. "Although I'm happy I live in WoodClan. I prefer solid ground."

"Me too." Shadefrost stumbled unsteadily towards her clanmate. With each step her paws sunk back into the mud's cold embrace, making it hard to move efficiently. She was reminded of the time when it had snowed in the forest. The snow had been just like this mud but colder and a lot less disgusting. She remembered how she had walked in the snow, balancing her weight on all four of her paws instead of just one. Frowning, she placed one paw forward while leaning back on her haunches. To her delight, her paw sunk only slightly into the mud and she was able to walk much more easily. She sped past Foxwhisker, who looked up at her, confused.

"How are you doing that?" he asked.

"Doing what?"

"Walking so well."

Shadefrost padded over to him. "You know when in it snowed? Just walk like you would over the snow."

Foxwhisker nodded and concentrated on balancing his body weight. After a couple of attempts, he was walking with ease. "Good," he meowed. "That's that hurdle over and done with."

Shadefrost nodded. "So, where are we going?"

"I say we follow the gorge," Foxwhisker mewed, flicking his tail towards the scar in the earth. "All water runs downwards and since the mountains are uphill, the water from the river must originate from there."

Shadefrost nodded and followed her clanmate to the edge of the gorge. Looking over the edge, she felt the familiar feeling of fear creep up inside of her. The gorge had been formed by a river seasons ago. The river flowed through WaterClan territory but only got violent at the beginning of WoodClan and CaveClan territory. Here it rushed through a gorge, until it reached the Waterfall, where the water tumbled down many foxlengths and continued its journey until it reached the twoleg place.

Shadefrost backed away from the gorge and its raging contents. It was a nightmare for any cat to fall into the swirling waters down below. Foxwhisker had too moved away from the gorge. Shadefrost padded to his side and the two of them started their journey towards the mountains. The land had a slight uphill slope to it and, although the two WoodClan cats had perfected their bog-walking, their paws did not seize to sink into ditches and potholes, made invisible by the darkness. Soon, Shadefrost's chest fur was covered in splashes of the watery mud and her paws had turned from black and white to brown.

The river slowly rose up from the gorge and thinned, so it could be seen clearly as a wide stream. Shadefrost found her eyes drawn to the peaceful waters of the torrent, relaxed by the soft gurgling it made. As they made their way across WaterClan territory, she found her paws starting to ache and her stomach growling for food. But she knew that it would be suicidal to hunt on enemy territory and dangerous to stop. She fixed her eyes on the mountains, frustrated at how it appeared that they were drawing no closer.

Suddenly, Foxwhisker stopped in front of her, his eyes wide and his ears twitching from side to side. Shadefrost felt her heart beat faster. Had the tom scented an enemy patrol? Foxwhisker sniffed the air and then stiffened. "Run," he whispered. He started to sprint across the marshland, drops of mud flying up in his wake. Shadefrost pelted after him, panic rising in her chest. It was much harder to run on the boggy ground and she twice stumbled and had to pull herself out of the mud.

Claws abruptly connected with her tail and she was pulled back down to the ground. Her attacker pinned her to the floor. Shadefrost squirmed in the mud, trying desperately to break free of the iron grip that refused to let go. Hissing, she slashed her claws wildly across the assaulter's face. There was a gasp and the grip loosened a little only to be renewed seconds later. Shadefrost caught sight of a ginger pelt and recognised her attacker as Blastpelt, a WaterClan warrior. Snarling, she kicked up with her hind legs and pushed the tom from her. Scrambling to her paws, she glanced around for Foxwhisker but before she could spot her clanmate, Blastpelt had leapt on her back. Shadefrost yowled as his claws dug into her scruff. Thinking fast, she flipped over onto her back, squashing the WaterClan cat under her. However, Blastpelt's grip did not loosen and Shadefrost found herself thrown back in the mud and pinned down. Blastpelt glared down at her, his face twisted into a mask of fury. "What are you doing on WaterClan territory? You don't belong here."

"B-but, but... you don't understa..." She tried to explain but was cut off as Blastpelt raised his claws in the air.

Shadefrost closed her eyes and prepared for the blow.

* * *

The blow never came. Shadefrost felt Blastpelt's weight pulled off her and unscrewed her eyes. Pushing herself to her paws, she glanced around. She could see Foxwhisker, flanked by the white warrior Softear and another blonde tom that she did not recognise. Whiteclaw was facing Blastpelt. "What do you think you're doing Blastpelt?" the deputy mewed angrily. "I told you to capture them, not attack them."

"But they're WoodClan," Blastpelt snarled, shooting an infuriated glare at Shadefrost. "They shouldn't be on our territory."

"That is true," Whiteclaw reasoned. "But we are thankful to WoodClan for helping us drive off the rogues. We should at least give them a fair trial."

Blastpelt opened his mouth to retort but then shut it and sat down sulkily, his fur still bristling and his eyes narrowed.

Whiteclaw turned to Foxwhisker. "What are you doing on our terriotory?" he meowed. "Do you want WaterClan's help?"

Foxwhisker shook his head. "No, we need no aid of WaterClan." He glanced uneasily at Shadefrost. "We were just passing through."

Whiteclaw frowned. "Why?" He stared at Foxwhisker, his eyes accusing.

Foxwhisker glanced at Shadefrost again, then mewed, "We are going to the mountains."

"The mountains!" Whiteclaw looked at him incredulously. "You don't want to be going to those parts."

"Why?" Shadefrost asked.

The WaterClan deputy turned to her. "Once, when Ashstar was leader, WaterClan tried to expand its territory so that it included the mountains. But we could not. The mountains were far too cold and treacherous for us. We lost two cats to those accursed peaks."

"How did they die?" Shadefrost queried, engrossed in the tale.

"Well," Whiteclaw continued. "I was just an apprentice then. But I remember when they brought Toadtail back to camp, his head split open by a boulder that had somehow become loose on the mountainside. The other cat, Streamfur, fell from a cliff and was never seen again. He was my..." The WaterClan deputy closed his eyes and when he opened them again, they were full of pain. "He was my older brother."

"I'm sorry," Shadefrost murmured sympathetically.

Whiteclaw shrugged off the apology. "It was a long time ago. I got over it," he explained. "But I would advise you not to go up there. You are only looking for death."

There was a long silence. Then Foxwhisker coughed and it was broken. "We are well aware of the dangers of our journey" the ginger tom said. "But we must go to the mountains."

Whiteclaw shrugged. "It is your choice but you have been warned. However, I cannot just let you go. I will need to take you to Ripplestar. It is her who ultimately decides what happens to you." He turned to his patrol. "We shall return to camp," he yowled. He flicked his tail to the blonde tom. "Strawclaw, you will mark the ginger one. Make sure he doesn't get away."

Strawclaw nodded. "Yes Whiteclaw."

Whiteclaw turned to Softear. "Softear you will flank the black and white." When Softear nodded, the deputy meowed, "I will take the front and Blastpelt will take the rear."

As the patrol fell into place, Shadefrost felt a shiver run up her spine. What if Ripplestar didn't let them pass? They would have failed their mission before it had even started. "I wouldn't worry," a voice sounded beside her. She looked around to see Softear. "Ripplestar is a very understanding cat. I'm sure she'll let you pass." He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling, kind and blue.

Shadefrost smiled back. "Thank you," she murmured.

The two of them didn't speak again during the trek to the WaterClan camp. The journey proved difficult for Shadefrost, who kept falling into the mud. Beside her Softear padded swiftly forwards, looking completely at ease with the marshy land. They splashed through small brooks that somehow managed to soak Shadefrost's belly fur. The water clung to her pelt and did not simply slide off as it did for the WaterClan cats. Behind her, she could hear Blastpelt grumbling unpleasantly about her and Foxwhisker. She sighed and tried her best to block out the ginger warrior's voice.

As they neared the camp, the land became less boggy, although a thin layer of mud still covered it. This made it much easier to traverse and the worry of a soaking was almost nil. The patrol descended a small slope and the camp came into view, a tight ring of reeds and thorn bushes nestled in at the end of the slope. Whiteclaw led his patrol through a small hole in a thorn bush that was obviously the entrance. Shadefrost squeezed through the hole and into the camp.

Whiteclaw signalled for the patrol to stop just inside the entrance. "Wait here," he ordered. "I shall inform Ripplestar of your presence." He padded across the camp and disappeared into a crack in a large stone boulder. Shadefrost sighed and looked around the WaterClan camp.

It was larger than WoodClan's but not as sheltered, consisting of several dens packed in a circle around a central clearing. The floor of the clearing was dry, hardened by many generations of paws. Directly across from the entrance, was the large stone boulder that Whiteclaw had gone into. In the centre of the clearing was a small pool of water. The moonlight reflected off it, making it sparkle prettily.

Shadefrost turned to Softear. "What's that?" she asked, gesturing towards the pool.

Softear followed her gaze. "That is the washing pool," he explained. "We cleanse our paws from mud before we enter our dens. Just because WaterClan cats don't mind having wet paws, doesn't mean we enjoy having muddy ones."

Shadefrost nodded and looked at Foxwhisker. Her clanmate was sitting with his tail wrapped neatly around his muddy paws, staring defiantly at Blastpelt. The WaterClan warrior hissed, obviously frustrated that he could not attack the WoodClan cat.

Soon, Whiteclaw emerged from the boulder and padded over to them. "Okay," he mewed. "You may see Ripplestar now." He turned to Softear, Strawclaw and Blastpelt. "Could you three please inform the clan about what has happened? They will be curious." The three warriors nodded their consent before hurrying over to different dens, to wake the cats sleeping in them.

Whiteclaw flicked his tail and lead Shadefrost and Foxwhisker over to the washing pool. "Please could you wash the mud off your paws?" he asked, while dipping his own pads into the glistening water. "We try to keep the camp clean."

Shadefrost nodded and stepped forward, tentatively placing her paw into the washing pool. She gasped and pulled it out again. The water was icy cold! Narrowing her eyes, she forced herself to submerge her paw again, trying to ignore the discomfort. She repeated the process for her other three paws and then stepped back to allow Foxwhisker to cleanse his pads, purring with amusement when the ginger tom's muzzle twisted in disgust. "Brrr," he whispered, joining her at the side of the pool. "I don't know why WaterClan cats enjoy having their pads wet."

"Me neither," Shadefrost agreed.

By now, many of the WaterClan cats were emerging from their dens. They stared at Shadefrost and Foxwhisker, some with curiosity, some with friendliness and others with anger. Shadefrost spotted Softear sitting at the side of a stunningly beautiful silver queen. The white tom nodded at her encouragingly. Outside another den, Featherpaw stood beside a black and grey tom, staring the WoodClan cats with a mixture of surprise and shock. A couple of tail-lengths away, Poolheart smiled at Shadefrost, obviously delighted to see her. She gave him a quick grin in return, before following Whiteclaw and Foxwhisker over to the cracked boulder.

Whiteclaw led them through the crack and into the den. Inside, the floor was sandy and the walls covered in lichen. Ripplestar sat upright in her nest of moss, staring at the WoodClan cats with curious blue eyes. Whiteclaw made his way over to her and settled by her side. Ripplestar wacked the ground with her tail. "Sit down," Whiteclaw translated.

Shadefrost and Foxwhisker slowly sank to their haunches. "Thank you for hearing us out Ripplestar," Foxwhisker mewed.

Ripplestar shrugged and blinked kindly at Foxwhisker. She twitched her ear to one side and then winked with her right eye. "Ripplestar wishes to know your names," Whiteclaw said.

"Well, I'm Foxwhisker and this is my clanmate Shadefrost," Foxwhisker told her.

Ripplestar nodded and turned to her deputy, flicking her tail and ears. "I've told Ripplestar about you wanting to go to the mountains," Whiteclaw meowed. "But we wish to know more. Why do you want to go there?"

Foxwhisker looked uneasily at Shadefrost. "Our leader had a dream from StarClan," he said, twisting the story slightly. "They told him about cats living in the mountains. They said that the cats had a message for him."

"Cats?!" Whiteclaw gasped, incredulous. "But there can't be. It is impossible to survive up there." He glanced at Ripplestar's face and saw his own shock there.

"Oh but there are," Shadefrost informed him.

"Yes, there are cats in the mountains," Foxwhisker mewed, deadly serious. "And they are swifter and more agile than any of us." He glanced at Ripplestar. "I have seen them."

The leader frowned and tapped her paw. "_You_ saw them," Whiteclaw asked.

Foxwhisker coughed. "Um, no, what I meant to say is Fallenstar saw them and described them to me."

Ripplestar looked suspicious for a moment and then shook her head and waved her tail. "So, Fallenstar sent you to get this message?" Whiteclaw interpreted. "A message from mountain cats."

"Well basically yes," Foxwhisker mewed smoothly, not giving any sign of how much he had twisted the truth. "That is StarClan's wish."

Ripplestar looked in thought and then stood up and padded out of the den, flicking her tail as a signal for the WoodClan cats to follow.

Outside, most likely all of the cats in WaterClan were gathered beneath the boulder. Ripplestar leapt on top of the big rock and Whiteclaw followed, yowling, "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here, underneath the Cracked Boulder for a clan meeting." The customary words were not needed. Not a cat moved.

Shadefrost and Foxwhisker shuffled awkwardly to sit in front of the gathered cats. Shadefrost could feel their stares burning into her pelt.

Ripplestar flicked her tail and the clearing fell silent. Ripplestar signalled to Whiteclaw. "Normally," the deputy yowled. "Ripplestar would do the meeting but our two visitors have not been trained to understand her so I shall do it." He looked down on his clan with authority. "Whilst on moonhigh patrol, me, Softear, Strawclaw and Blastpelt found these two cats wandering around on our territory. They are called Foxwhisker and Shadefrost and they are on a mission from StarClan." An awed sigh went up from the WaterClan cats but it was broken as a harsh voice shouted, "Oh foxdung to _a mission from StarClan. _Those cats are WoodClan. They shouldn't be here." Shadefrost swivelled around to see Blastpelt glaring at her with hostile eyes.

He was seated beside a wiry brown she-cat, who was also glowering at the WoodClan cats. "Yeah," the she-cat mewed. "We should chase them back to where they came from."

"Silence!" Whiteclaw's yowl was ferocious. "You insult StarClan with your words Blastpelt. And you Quietwhisker, who gave you the right to affront WoodClan when they have so recently helped us." He glared at the two warriors. They backed off, their heads bowed. Shadefrost heard Blastpelt murmur something but could not make out his words. She bristled slightly.

"As I was saying," Whiteclaw continued. "Foxwhisker and Shadefrost have been sent by their leader to the mountains where they will receive a message from mountain cats."

An uproar sounded. "Cats?"

"In the mountains?"

"But it's impossible to live there."

"Remember, we tried."

"Yeah and Streamfur and Toadtail got killed."

Whiteclaw silenced them with a yowl. "Yes it is certainly a dangerous mission." He looked down at Foxwhisker and Shadefrost. "Are you still sure that you want to go?"

"It was our leaders order," Foxwhisker confirmed. "We will not disobey."

"If that is your choice." Whiteclaw turned to Ripplestar and whispered something in her ear. The leader nodded. Whiteclaw turned back to the gathered cats. "Ripplestar wishes for Shadefrost and Foxwhisker to be escorted to the foot of the mountains. Is any cat willing to take on this task?"

"I will!" Poolheart's reply was instant. Shadefrost turned to look at him. He was gazing intently at her. She could not help but to feel a shiver of pleasure that the handsome tom would be accompanying them.

Whiteclaw nodded at him. "Thank you Poolheart. I think we will have one more cat. Anyone else willing or will I have to pick?"

"Can I go?" A cry went up from the back of the assembly. It was the black and grey tom that had been sitting beside Featherpaw earlier.

"I don't think so." Whiteclaw blinked apologetically at the tom. "Sorry Splashpaw but this is a task for warriors."

"But I'm almost a warrior," Splashpaw argued. "My assessment's this moon."

"Almost but not quite," Whiteclaw mewed. "Sorry but you can't go Splashpaw."

Splashpaw sat down, a dejected look in his eyes. Shadefrost felt sympathy for the apprentice and gratitude for his eagerness to help. She dipped her head thankfully at him. Splashpaw sat up straighter and his eyes glowed.

"I don't see why you're so eager to help Splashpaw." A mewl went up from Blastpelt. "What fun, helping cats from an opposing clan!" He spat nastily.

Shadefrost let a quiet growl escape her lips. She was really beginning to dislike Blastpelt.

"Oh shut up Blastpelt," Softear growled, scowling at the ginger tom. "I'll go Whiteclaw."

The deputy dipped his head. "Yes, you can go Softear." He jumped down from the Cracked Boulder with Ripplestar, mewling, "You leave at dawn."

* * *

Shadefrost woke as bright sunlight filtered through the gaps in WaterClan's warriors den. For a moment, she fought against the glare but then surrendered to it, allowing it to raise her from her slumber. She hadn't had much sleep. It had been well after moonhigh when Ripplestar and Whiteclaw had ended the meeting. Shadefrost and Foxwhisker had been allowed to sleep in the warriors den, much to the dissatisfaction of Blastpelt and a few others.

Feeling groggy, she slowly opened her eyes and surveyed the den. It was larger than WoodClan's but not as cosy as the marshes did not possess the soft moss needed for insulation. Foxwhisker lay a few whiskerlengths away from her, still fast asleep, like all of the WaterClan warriors.

All but one. Shadefrost turned her head as she felt a cat's gaze burn her pelt. It was Poolheart. The handsome grey tom was sitting upright in his nest with his long feathery tail wrapped neatly around his paws. He was staring at her intently with his mouth slightly open and his eyes filled with a kind of passionate longing.

Shadefrost was somewhat unnerved. "Poolheart?" she mewed quietly, so as not to wake the other cats.

Poolheart's ears snapped up straight and he shook his head as if surfacing from deep water. "Ahem, yeah, what?"

"Why were you looking at me like that?" she asked.

Poolheart frowned. "Like what?" He scuffled his paws in his bedding.

"Like..." Shadefrost could not find the words. "Nothing."

Poolheart looked relieved and quickly changed the subject. "So, are you ready for our great journey?"

"Well it won't exactly be great," Shadefrost corrected him. "It'll only take us until sunhigh to reach the mountains and then you'll be leaving us."

Poolheart looked downcast. "Yeah," he mumbled, lowering his eyes from her face. "Then we'll leave you."

Shadefrost was confused. "Are you okay?" she asked, wandering why he looked dejected.

Poolheart coughed and quickly lifted his eyes to hers. "Yeah, I'm fine. Shall we wake the others?"

Shadefrost nodded. "How about you wake Softear and I'll do Foxwhisker."

"Okay." Poolheart padded off towards where the white warrior was sleeping.

Shadefrost frowned at his strange behaviour before bending down to wake Foxwhisker. Gently, she rasped her tongue over his ear. He groaned and batted at her with a lazy paw. "Oh, leave me alone, Ratclaw," he said, his voice dreary with sleep. "I'll go on patrol later."

Shadefrost purred in amusement. "It's not Ratclaw, it's me," she whispered. "It's dawn Foxwhisker. It's time to go."

Foxwhisker frowned but did not open his eyes. "Shadefrost? Dawn? Go where? I don't want to go on patrol."

"Foxwhisker!" Shadefrost was astounded that he could not remember where they were going. "Get up. We're going to the mountains."

Foxwhisker's light blue eyes snapped open. "The mountains!" he gasped, pushing himself to his paws. "Of course!" He looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry. You probably think I'm a right old mousebrain."

She nodded. "Yeah, I do!" She poked him in the chest. "Why did you think you were wanted on patrol?"

"I dreamt of our clanmates," he told her. "I was with Ratclaw in the warriors den. He kept trying to make me go on patrol. But I didn't want to go on patrol. So I said no and..." He trailed of and looked at Shadefrost with sad eyes. "I'm really to miss everyone back at camp."

Shadefrost nodded. "Me too." She snuggled into his chest fur, relishing the warmth that she found there. He tenderly licked her ear. Out of the corner of her eye, Shadefrost could see Poolheart looking at the two of them, his eyes shadowed. She frowned, wandering what was up with the WaterClan warrior.

After a few moments, she and Foxwhisker pulled apart. Softear and Poolheart were waiting for them near the den's exit. When the two WoodClan cats approached, Softear mewed, "Are you well rested?"

Foxwhisker nodded. "Rested enough to get to the mountains."

Softear shook his head. "I don't know why you want to go to the mountains," he mewed. "An order from StarClan wouldn't get me among those wretched peaks."

"I know that WaterClan have had problems in the mountains," Foxwhisker replied. "But WoodClan have not. We are not afraid to venture there."

"But if you go then you might get hurt," Poolheart piped in, glancing at Shadefrost worriedly. "Or worse, you could die."

Irritation entered Foxwhisker's eyes. "Listen," he hissed. "We've already had this talk with Whiteclaw. We are well aware of the dangers but nothing is stopping us from reaching the mountains."

Shadefrost nodded in support. "We will not disobey our leader. He ordered us to go to the mountains."

Softear flicked his ears. "I can see that we will not convince you, however hard we try." He looked sincerely at Foxwhisker. "But we can get you to the foothills safely."

Foxwhisker nodded. "Thank you," he meowed. "We are grateful for your help."

"It's no problem, after you helped us fend off the rogues," said Softear. The white warrior flicked his tail toward the den's exit. "Shall we?"

Foxwhisker dipped his head and walked with Softear out of the den. Shadefrost and Poolheart followed.

The clearing was virtually empty, with a few cats scattered here and there. The sky was clear and the sun beat down, making the water in the washing pool glisten brilliantly. But there was a chill in the air that reminded every cat that Leafbare still had its harsh claws on the forest.

Poolheart breathed in deeply. "Ahh," he sighed, stretching his muscles in the slight warmth that the sun brought. "A perfect day for travelling." He grinned at Shadefrost but his eyes were still dark and worried.

Softear turned to Foxwhisker, who was sheathing and unsheathing his claws impatiently. "Do you need anything?" he asked.

Foxwhisker shook his head and gave his ginger fur a few licks. "Could we leave now?" he mewed. "The sooner we get to the mountains the better." Shadefrost could see that her clanmate was anxious to learn the meaning of his dream. She felt the same way. The mysteries of the Flying Star and the Snow Stripe clouded her mind and she longed for answers to clear it.

Softear nodded. "Alright," he said. "We can hunt on the way." The white tom padded towards the hole in the bushes that marked the camp's exit. Foxwhisker, Shadefrost and Poolheart followed.

They climbed swiftly up the rise that encircled the camp. From the top of the slope they could gaze across the whole of WaterClan territory. Softear pointed north-west with his tail. "We're going to go in that direction," he meowed. "We'll cross the river via the stepping stones and then head up to the foothills. Then we shall leave you."

Foxwhisker nodded. "That sounds good," he said, turning to Softear. "How long will that take?"

"We'll reach the mountains by sunhigh, if we go at a slow pace, sooner if we run."

"Let's run then!"

Foxwhisker leapt forward and began to pelt across the marshy terrain. The others followed. Shadefrost ran beside Poolheart, her paws rarely touching the ground for more than a second. She felt the air rush past her face, she felt the exhilaration of running. She could sprint like this for hours. She let out a yowl of joy and raced forward, overtaking the other cats.

She heard Poolheart laugh behind her. "Not so fast!" She heard his pawsteps coming closer and felt his warm breath on her shoulder. Growling, she swerved sideways, intending to block off the grey tom. But he was faster than she had expected and crashed into her side with a resounding thump. Shadefrost gasped as the wind was taken from her lungs and her paws crumpled beneath her. She and Poolheart rolled down a dip in the land and came to a stop in a muddy ditch. He landed on top of her but his weight was removed almost instantly. "Shadefrost?" he gasped, his voice concerned. "I haven't hurt you, have I?"

Shadefrost spat mud out of her mouth. "No," she answered. "I'm fine." She pushed herself to her paws and surveyed her pelt. "Hey!" she mewed. "You've got me all muddy!"

Poolheart's eyes widened with alarm. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"I was joking." Shadefrost smiled at the handsome tom. Then she pushed him in the mud. "There you are!" she laughed. "Have a mud bath!"

Poolheart grinned and pushed himself to his paws, his pelt now caked with mud. He leapt out of the ditch. "Come on!" he meowed.

Shadefrost purred and allowed him to help her out of the hole. Her eyes met his blue ones and she was surprised to find tenderness in them. Coughing, she quickly stepped back from the tom.

Foxwhisker and Softear skidded to a halt beside them. Foxwhisker stood between her and Poolheart, growling at the dark grey tom. "Did you hurt her?" he snarled. "Because if you did I'll..."

Shadefrost stepped forward and laid her tail on her clanmate's shoulder. "It's fine Foxwhisker," she mewed. "I'm not hurt."

Foxwhisker looked at her. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, caringly rasping his tongue over her ear.

Shadefrost purred and rubbed her cheek against his. "I'm fine."

"Well if you say so." The ginger narrowed his eyes at Poolheart and draped his tail over Shadefrost's shoulders, leading her away from him. Poolheart glared back resentfully.

The four cats did not run again. Instead, they traversed the marshy ground at a brisk trot. Shadefrost padded beside Foxwhisker. Her clanmate was tense and had one eye permanently fixed on Poolheart, who walked behind them with his head downcast and his tail trailing in the dust. Shadefrost did not get what had sparked the sudden rivalry between the two toms. She pondered over it while she walked and came to the conclusion that Foxwhisker was just being overprotective and Poolheart resentful because the ginger tom had snapped at him.

They reached the river as the sun was halfway to sunhigh. Softear stopped them at its banks. "We shall rest and hunt here," he meowed. When Foxwhisker opened his mouth to protest, the fluffy white cat cut him off. "I know that you want to reach the mountains fast, Foxwhisker, but we are making good progress. We'll easily be there before sunhigh. And, I don't know about you but I'm starving. I could do with a nice fish."

Foxwhisker looked irritated but agreed. "Alright, we'll stay here, but only as long as it takes to eat."

There was a hiss behind him. "Who gave you the right to order us about?"

Foxwhisker turned to look at Poolheart incredulously. "What?"

"We deserve a longer rest than that," Poolheart snarled angrily. "I'm not taking orders from you."

Foxwhisker lashed his tail. "Well, you don't have to," he growled. "You can go back to your camp if you want."

Poolheart bore his teeth and the two toms glowered at each other, their fur bristling. Shadefrost could see Foxwhisker's shoulders, tense, ready to pounce. She stared horrified at her clanmate, willing him not to attack Poolheart. They could not deal with injuries now.

Softear leapt in between the two angry cats. "Stop this," he yowled. "We should be working together not fighting." He turned to glare at Poolheart. "Show more respect, Poolheart. We are escorting Foxwhisker and so we must be prepared to take orders from him."

At the senior warrior's words, the handsome grey tom bowed his head. "I'm sorry Softear," he said, each word sounding forced. "I am tired. I don't know what came over me."

Softear nodded. "That's better Poolheart." He looked over at the WoodClan cats. "We shall hunt now. Foxwhisker, you shall hunt with me and Shadefrost will hunt with Poolheart."

Foxwhisker did not look at all pleased with the arrangement, but he did not complain and instead followed Softear to the river bank.

Shadefrost padded over to Poolheart. "Hey," she mewed.

"Hi," the tom replied but he was not looking at her. His gaze was fixed angrily on Foxwhisker.

Shadefrost laid her tail on his shoulder. She felt his body tense and then relax. He turned to look at her. She was quite surprised at the expression on his face, a kind of affectionate fascination. She flicked an ear and asked, "What was that with Foxwhisker?"

Poolheart's eyes darkened. "I don't know," he said, but there was an edge to his voice that portrayed a lie. "I guess it's hard to be away from my clanmates, especially Featherpaw. It makes me irritable."

Shadefrost felt a question burning on her lips. "Do you love Featherpaw?" She gasped, mortified that she had voiced the query out loud.

"Of course I do," Poolheart purred. His eyes clouded passionately. "We're very close."

A mixture of emotions rose in Shadefrost's belly and she could not find words for them. A small, "oh," popped out of her mouth.

Poolheart looked at her. "I mean, we're closer than most siblings."

Shadefrost's head snapped upright. Poolheart was related to Featherpaw! "Featherpaw's your sister?"

The dark grey tom nodded. "Yeah, my younger sister."

"So you're not mates?"

Poolheart's answer was instant. "No." He gazed at Shadefrost, his eyes serious. "I don't have a mate, Shadefrost."

Shadefrost suddenly felt uncomfortable under the intensity of his gaze. She shuffled and looked towards the river. "So, we're hunting fish?"

Poolheart ripped his eyes off her, to stare at the river. "What else?" he purred. "All the water voles are in their dens for leafbare but the fish always remain." He led the way towards the swirling waters and bent down to gaze into their depths.

Shadefrost joined him. "What are you doing?" she asked, as Poolheart shifted his position.

"I'm making sure my shadow doesn't fall on the water," the WaterClan tom mewed. "If it does, the fish will be alerted to my presence." He found a position where he could be unseen by his prey and slowly lifted his paw in the air. There he waited, still as stone, and then suddenly his paw flashed into the water. A large fish spun through the air and landed with a thump on the river bank, thrashing, desperately trying to return to the safety of the water. Poolheart pounced on the writhing prey and sunk his teeth deep into its throat. The fish gave a few more involuntary flaps of its tail and then lay still. Poolheart dropped it on the ground and returned to Shadefrost's side. "Would you like to hunt one?"

Shadefrost looked nervously at him. She had never hunted a fish before. "I've..."

"Never hunted a fish before?" Poolheart finished her sentence.

"Yeah."

"That's alright," the grey tom assured her. "I'll teach you." He led her over to the water's edge and signalled for her to crouch. Gently, he nosed her body sideways, so that her shadow did not cast over the river. Then, he pushed her paw into the air. It hovered there, ready to strike. "Okay," he whispered, looking into her eyes. "When a fish swims past, hook it out the water with your paw. Be sure not to throw it forwards though, otherwise it'll just land back in the water. Fling it over your and be quick to bite its neck otherwise it'll get back to the river. Okay?"

Shadefrost nodded, absorbing the information. Poolheart mewed something else but she was too concentrated on her task that she didn't make out the words. She let her hearing expand out across a small stretch of the river, listening to frogs splashing in the shallows, reeds stirring into the wind, and then a ripple as a fish's tail beat the water. She tensed as the ripple came closer and closer. She stared intently at the water before her nose, watching it roar past at a rapid speed. The fish eventually swam into view. Shadefrost watched it until it was right under her nose. Then, she pushed downward with her paw toward it. But she must have leaned too far forward because, alerted by her shadow, the fish swam frantically downstream. Shadefrost's paw, which had expected meet the fish's scales, instead flew through the water. Overbalanced, she wobbled on the bank for a few moments, and then went crashing into the river.

Shadefrost gasped one breath of air before the roaring torrent pushed her under. She kicked out frantically with her paws, but the current was stronger than her, and it held her suspended under the surface. Her lungs were bursting for air but water had filled her mouth and she couldn't take a breath. She felt her back scrape roughly against the river bed and bubbles erupted from her gaping jaws. Darkness started to cloud her vision, closing in on her, suffocating her. I'm going to drown, she thought blankly, before her eyes shut.

And then, something, some kind of angel, lifted her from the darkness. Her head broke the surface and she was being propelled towards the bank, a cat's teeth in her scruff. She felt herself being hauled from the water and she lay gasping for air on the river bank. "Shadefrost?" Her saviour was calling to her. She groaned and coughed up water. "Shadefrost, are you okay?"

Shadefrost coughed again and opened her eyes to see Poolheart looking down on her, worry verging on panic flashing in his dark blue eyes. His pelt was dripping wet. It was him that had saved her.

Still gasping for air, she nodded. "I'm okay."

Poolheart laid his nose on her cheek. Warmth seemed to spread through Shadefrost from that point of contact, even though the harsh winds were chilling her wet pelt. "Thank StarClan," the grey tom mewed. "I thought I'd lost you."

Shadefrost rolled onto her stomach. Pawsteps sounded through the ground as Foxwhisker and Softear raced towards them. Poolheart drew back from her at their approach, his fur bristling slightly.

Foxwhisker nearly cannoned into her. "Shadefrost!" he yowled, worry etched painfully in his voice. "Are you alright?"

Shadefrost nodded. "I'm fine," she mewed. "Thanks to Poolheart."  
Foxwhisker lashed his tail. "Thanks to Poolheart," he snarled. "Foxdung!" He turned on the dark grey tom. "How could you let her fall in?"

Poolheart growled. "I didn't mean to!"

Foxwhisker was furious. "_I didn't mean to_," he imitated bitterly. "She could have been killed!"

Poolheart raised his hackles. "I saved her, didn't I?" He took a step towards Shadefrost, the anger in his eyes replaced with concern. "Are you sure you're alri...?"

Foxwhisker leapt in between them, snarling. "Stay away," he warned. "You've caused enough trouble already."

Shadefrost had never seen her clanmate so angry. He was usually so gentle and kind. His fury scared her. She stood up and laid her tail on his tense shoulder. "Stop it," she cried.

Foxwhisker, momentarily distracted from Poolheart, turned to look at her. "What is it?" he asked, his voice softer now.

"Poolheart's done nothing wrong," she mewed, looking deep into his eyes in an attempt to sooth him.

They darkened with resentment. "But he let you fall in!"

"He didn't mean to," Shadefrost insisted. "It was my fault really."

"It wasn't your fault," Foxwhisker snarled, ripping his gaze from hers so that he could glare at Poolheart. "It was his."

The dark grey tom bristled. "I'm sorry if you feel that way," he hissed. "But I've done nothing wrong." He whipped around and stalked to sit beside Softear, who was scrutinising the scene with wary eyes. Shadefrost watched as the two WaterClan toms sunk their teeth into fish and whispered to each other, occasionally shooting glances at her and Foxwhisker.

She turned on her clanmate. "What was that all about?"

Foxwhisker hissed. "What do you think?"

"It wasn't Poolheart's fault," Shadefrost growled. "It was mine." She shivered as a blast of wind beat her frozen pelt.

Foxwhisker noticed to movement and the irritation of his eyes turned to concern. "Are you cold?" he asked, curling his muscular body around her.

Shadefrost nodded. "Very."

Foxwhisker licked her ears lovingly. "Was it scary? Under the water, I mean."

"It was." She shuffled closer to the ginger tom, the heat from his pelt warming her soaked fur. "I thought I was going to die."

Foxwhisker purred sympathetically. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I'll go and get a fish." He got to his paws. Without his body wrapped around hers, the world seemed cold and dark again.

Foxwhisker padded over to the WaterClan cats. Poolheart bared his teeth in a snarl but the ginger tom ignored him and addressed Softear. The white cat nodded and Foxwhisker padded back to where Shadefrost was shivering, two fish hanging from his jaws.

"Here," he said, dropping one at her paws. "Eat." He curled his body around her again.

She purred as warmth seeped into her joints. "I've never eaten a fish before."

"Me neither." Foxwhisker looked at her tenderly. "Shall we try? Together."  
Shadefrost nodded and simultaneously the two of them attacked the fish. It tasted slightly salty and was warm as it slid down their throats. But, for Shadefrost, it was nothing compared to a freshly killed mouse.

"Not bad," Foxwhisker mewed, taking another bite. "But nothing compared to a mouse."

"My thoughts exactly." The two of them purred in amusement and rubbed cheeks.

Shadefrost felt a cat's gaze burn her pelt and swivelled her eyes to see Poolheart, watching them with resentment and something else in his blue eyes. Foxwhisker followed her eye line, growling as he set sight on the grey tom.

Shadefrost looked at him. "What's your problem with Poolheart, eh?"  
Foxwhisker ripped his gaze from the WaterClan cat. "Nothing," he murmured.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Foxwhisker, you and I both know that's not true. If I had been with Softear when I fell in, you wouldn't have snapped at him."

Foxwhisker flicked an ear. "I might have."

"You wouldn't have and I know there's more behind this," Shadefrost said, twining her tail with his. "Come on Foxwhisker, you can tell me."

Foxwhisker shifted uncomfortably, then mewed, "I don't trust him and..." He lowered his voice. "I'm jealous."

"Jealous!" Shadefrost sputtered. "What? Of Poolheart?"

Foxwhisker nodded. "Yes, of Poolheart. He obviously likes you and..."

Shadefrost almost choked on a fishbone. "Poolheart?" she gasped. She glanced over to where he was sitting with Softear. He was still looking at her with his handsome, handsome eyes. She shook her head and turned back to Foxwhisker. "I don't think so," she meowed. "He's from WaterClan."

Foxwhisker growled. "Yeah, so. Blackwing was from CaveClan and he still loved Fembrook."

"But..." Shadefrost glanced back at Poolheart. How could such a handsome tom like her? How had this happened? She'd only known the grey tom for a moon.

"You're a beautiful cat, Shadefrost," Foxwhisker mewed.

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

Foxwhisker laid his head on top of hers. "You are," he assured her. "And Poolheart's really into you. I think he wants to be more than just friends." The ginger tom laughed involuntarily. "And I'm so jealous. I've never felt this much jealousy before in my life." He lifted his head and looked deep into her eyes. "And you know why?" He paused then licked her nose. "It's because I love you more than anything. And if you do love Poolheart and want to be with him, I don't think I'll be able to stand it. I think..."

Shadefrost slapped her tail over his mouth. "Hush," she breathed. "I don't love him. I love you and nothing's ever going to change that."

Foxwhisker purred and great happiness and relief sparked in his eyes. He rested his head on top of hers again and she twined her tail with his. She loved his closeness and his warmth, she loved him, she really did. But as she gazed across at Poolheart, many feelings started to whirl around her body. Did the dark grey tom actually want to be, as Foxwhisker had phrased it, _more than friends?_ Did he really love her?

* * *

The cats set off for the mountains a few hours before sunhigh. Shadefrost padded behind Poolheart and narrowed her eyes at the WaterClan tom. Questions flew through her brain, begging to be voiced out loud. But she kept her mouth closed, too embarrassed to confront Poolheart about his feelings in front of Foxwhisker.

The ginger tom walked beside her now, staying close to her side and growling whenever Poolheart so much as glanced at her. Although a part of her was touched by her clanmate's concern, Shadefrost could not help but feel a little dubious that he could even think that she would want to be with Poolheart. For one, the dark grey tom was in WaterClan and Shadefrost knew that cross-clan relationships very rarely worked out. There was also the large point that she loved Foxwhisker more than anything in the world.

The landscape took on a steeper tone as the journeying cats approached the foothills. The mountains were very close now and Shadefrost was astounded at the sheer size of them. She felt a tremor of uncertainty roll up her spine as she spotted a huge mountain, its peak emerged in the clouds. How in StarClan were they ever going to find a flying star or whatever it was in such a gigantic place?

As they traversed the foothills, the weather became colder and not even the bright sun could keep the chill from soaking through Shadefrost's still damp pelt. She shivered and Foxwhisker drew even nearer to her, pressing his side against hers. Drawing a tongue over her ear, he mewed, "We're almost there."

She nodded. "Yes, the mountains are even bigger than I thought they would be. I don't know how we will find the flying star in there."

Foxwhisker's pelt prickled slightly. "I know but remember we don't know what the flying star is yet. It could be a StarClan warrior or something else." He looked at her. "Hopefully it's big," he joked.

Shadefrost purred in amusement. "And what about the stripe of snow?" she asked, her voice taking on a serious tone.

"I don't know what that is either," Foxwhisker mewed, shaking his head. "I wish that StarClan could just tell us what they want us to do."

"I know." Shadefrost laid her tail on his shoulder. "But it doesn't work like that. StarClan always send their messages in code form."

Foxwhisker nodded. "I think our best bet to find the cats in my dream. I just know that they will help us to discover the answers to our questions."

Shadefrost nodded. "That sounds good."

She glanced up and noticed that Softear and Poolheart had drawn several foxlengths ahead. Flicking her tail over Foxwhisker's shoulder, she raced to rejoin the WaterClan cats, feeling drops of water fly from her pelt as she did so.

As sunhigh approached, the four cats padded to the top of one of the hills and found themselves looking at two of the smaller mountains. A narrow pathway wound through the two peaks, leading to the taller mountains. Shadefrost felt a shiver of apprehension run through her body at the thought of walking along the valley. _This_ was where their journey really began.

In front of her, Softear stopped, his limbs stiff and his fur prickling in fear. "This is where we leave you," he said, turning to the WoodClan cats. "I will not go into the mountains ever again."

Shadefrost blinked at him with interest. "You've been to the mountains before?"

Softear nodded. "Yes. I was there when Streamfur died."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Shadefrost mewed. "Were you close?"

Softear shook his head. "No, not really. But he was a good cat, worthy of being deputy or maybe even leader. I had a lot of respect for him." The white tom closed his eyes, absorbed by his memories. "And I always think, what if it had been me who had slipped and fell? I would never have seen the birth of my kits or earned my warrior name."

Shadefrost shivered. "Are the mountains really that dangerous?"

"Yes." Softear looked deep into her eyes. "And you shouldn't go there but since you have made your minds up well... I fear for your lives."

There was a short but uncomfortable silence. Then Foxwhisker coughed. "Well, um, we'll be very careful."

Softear shook his head. "Mice are careful," he meowed. "But they are still killed and eaten by predators. That's what the mountains are like; predators. You can be as careful as a mouse but they will still stalk up on you and kill you. You may think that badgers are fearsome predators or foxes but they are nothing compared to the mountains." The white tom took a deep breath. "A mountain is the most fearsome predator of all."

Another silence. "We're not afraid," Foxwhisker hissed but his fur prickled and his shoulders were tense.

Softear shrugged. "If you say so. But you must be extremely careful and watch out for falling rocks and eagles. If you see an eagle made sure that it cannot attack you from above."

Foxwhisker nodded. "Well I guess this is goodbye," he mewed. "Thanks for the escort and advice." Padding forward, he touched noses with Softear. "We'll be very careful, I promise."

Softear nodded. "You better be!" He glanced at Shadefrost. "And you better look after her. She's a decent cat."

Foxwhisker nodded while Shadefrost scuffed her paws in embarrassment. "I'll watch her with my life."

While the other two toms conversed, Poolheart approached Shadefrost. "Don't go," he mewed, his eyes sad. "You might die."

"I've got to go Poolheart." Shadefrost blinked forcefully at him. "It is the will of StarClan."  
Poolheart sighed. "I suppose." He leant forward and laid his head on top of hers. The contact sent shivers down Shadefrost's spine. "You have to be very careful, Shadefrost," the grey tom continued. "Promise me that."

Shadefrost suddenly felt unwilling to leave Poolheart behind, as if a part of her would stay with the WaterClan tom. Then, she felt Foxwhisker's eyes burning into her and became aware of the pain that she was causing her clanmate by being so close to Poolheart. She quickly drew away from the dark grey tom. "I will be careful."

Poolheart opened his mouth to say something but then shut it again. His eyes danced with frustration and pain. "Goodbye Shadefrost," he meowed finally, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I will miss you."

Shadefrost purred. "I'll miss you too." She stepped quickly forward to press her nose to his.

A sharp mew sounded behind her. "Shadefrost, we need to go."

Shadefrost turned to see Foxwhisker, looking at her with jealousy in his eyes. "Yeah," she said hastily. "I'm coming." She turned briefly to Poolheart. "Goodbye."

Poolheart's tail drooped in the mud. "Bye," he murmured quietly.

Foxwhisker narrowed his eyes at the WaterClan cat. "Thank you, I suppose," he meowed, but his voice was tense and dishonest.

"You're welcome," Poolheart growled, baring his teeth, as if he was challenging the ginger tom.

Foxwhisker's fur bristled slightly and he whipped around and started to pad down the hill. With a last glance at Poolheart, Shadefrost followed him.

* * *

**Poolheart's POV**

I stare as she walks down the hill, her pace brisk so that she can catch up with _him. _What use is _he_? He can't protect her. She's going to die if only he is there, I just know it. I don't know what she sees in him_._ Doesn't she notice how vain he is? How his pelt bristles with jealously every time I so much as glance at her? She doesn't have to be with him, she could be with me. We could be...

I shake my head. It's never going to happen. She's a loyal cat; she would never have a cross-clan relationship, never. Even if she did, it would only cause her pain and suffering. She's better off with that _Foxwhisker._ Their pelts are brushing now as they descend into the valley, their eyes shining as they share tender glances. How I wish that I could take his place so that my fur could touch hers and I could look lovingly into her eyes.

My head reels as I think of the contact we just shared, her soft ears brushing against my chin, her sweet scent flooding into my nose. She's so beautiful, her leaf green eyes perfectly shaped, her tail long and feathery, her slender body covered in glossy black and white fur... I shiver at the very thought of her and my heart jolts with longing every time I set eyes on her.

They're disappearing from my sight now, a mountain blocking them from view. I long to grab hold of the peak and wrench it from the ground so that I can continue to gaze upon her radiant form.

I feel a touch on my shoulder and turn to see Softear. "We should go now," the senior warrior mews. "We need to get back to camp by sundown."

I nod slowly but do not move. My paws are latched in place and my eyes follow her tail as it disappears behind the mountain. She is gone.

I feel like I'm being torn in two. Half of me wants to race back to camp, across the marshes, and continue to be a loyal warrior, to share fresh-kill with my sister, Featherpaw, to forget all about _her. _But I know that is impossible. My heart longs to run after her, to explore the feared mountains, to be at her side always. But my head tells me to return to my clan, to be loyal to them, not myself.

I think of my name, Pool_heart, _and the answer is there.

Softear speaks to me again. "Are you coming Poolheart?"

I suck in a deep breath and whisper, "No."

And then I am running, racing down the hill, my eyes fixed on the place where her feathery tail disappeared from my sight. She might be far away by now but I'll find her. I know I will.

I hear Softear call after me but I have no fear of pursuit. My clanmates are too scared to follow me. I'm scared too. I've heard the stories, stories of Streamfur and Toadtail. They died in the mountains and I could as well. But I'm not concerned for myself, this isn't about me, it's about her.

I don't trust Foxwhisker. He doesn't know anything about the mountains. Not that I know much about them but I do know how to kill an eagle. _I _would never let anything touch her, she'll be safe with me. I'm willing to give my life for her. And I know why. It's because I love her.

I love her so much.

* * *

Shadefrost's paws scraped against bare rock as she and Foxwhisker made their way up the mountainside. The higher they climbed, the colder it got and patches of ice had begun to appear on the rock face. Avoiding them was probably a good idea. It was a long fall into the valley if they slipped.

It was a few hours after sunhigh, and the two WoodClan cats had been climbing since then. After they had passed the two first peaks, Foxwhisker had suggested that they should climb higher into mountains to get a good look at their surroundings. Shadefrost had not objected so the two of them had begun to climb the nearest peak.

Shadefrost was objecting now. Her head spun every time she glanced downwards. The valley that they had walked along before looked like it was as thin as a tail and the first two smaller mountains had been left far behind. The rock face horribly exposed to the wind, which sent torrents of cold air slamming into her body, freezing her to the core. There was also the small matter that they were now edging along a ledge only a couple of tail-lengths wide.

Foxwhisker padded in front of her, his tail held high for balance. If he was afraid he didn't show it, his fur lay flat on his back and his shoulders were relaxed. Shadefrost wandered how he could be so calm when they were hundreds of foxlengths in the air with only a thin strip of rock in between them and a lethal fall.

A gust of wind crashed into her side, sending her stumbling towards the drop. Yowling in terror, she tottered there, before regaining her balance. Her breath coming in short gasps, she pressed herself against the rock face, too petrified to move. A couple of loose rocks skittered over the edge and plummeted down to the floor below. Shadefrost thought of how easily she could have followed them and shuddered. That had been too close.

Foxwhisker turned around and made his way back along the ledge. "Shadefrost? Are you okay?"

Shadefrost shook her head. "There was wind and it almost made me fall and..." She shuddered uncontrollably.

"It's alright," Foxwhisker mewed. He glanced at the setting sun. "We've got to get moving Shadefrost. We can't be stuck on this ledge at sundown. We wouldn't be able to see in the dark." He started to pad along the ledge again but stopped when Shadefrost did not follow him. "Please Shadefrost," he meowed. "Come on."

Shadefrost shook her head. "I can't," she stammered, her teeth chattering from both fear and cold.

Foxwhisker laid his tail on her shoulder. "You can," he mewed softly. "I know you can Shadefrost. Don't worry, you won't fall. Not while I'm here." His voice was smooth and reassuring. "Look up," he said. "Not down. We're almost there. I can see a larger ledge farther along this one. We can stop there."

Shadefrost followed his gaze and saw that he was right. The narrow ledge ran across the mountainside for a few foxlengths before it thinned out and disappeared into the rock face. Just above it was a wider outcropping where a cat could lie down without fear of falling. She glanced back at her clanmate. "Okay," she murmured. "Let's go."

Foxwhisker led the way back along the narrow pathway. Shadefrost followed him shakily, praying to StarClan that the wind would not return. When the ledge became perilously thin, they stopped and searched for a way to reach the wider outcropping. But the rock face was smooth and weathered with no footholds. Foxwhisker sighed and turned to Shadefrost. "We're going to have to jump."

Shadefrost stared at him. This time he had gone too far. "You've got to be joking." There was no way she was leaping up there when one slip meant a lethal fall.

Foxwhisker looked at her, his eyes pleading. "I know you can do it," he mewed. "You're an agile cat."

Shadefrost shook her head. "There's no way I'm jumping."

Foxwhisker lashed his tail impatiently. "Well you'll have to stay here when darkness and cold come," he teased. "And the wind will carry shards of ice that will dig into your pelt and you'll become so numb that you'll fall over the edge and shatter into a million pieces on the valley floor."

Shadefrost slapped her tail over his mouth. Terror caused through her body. Anything was better than what Foxwhisker had just described. "Okay, okay," she snapped. "I'll do it."

Foxwhisker grinned. "Great. I'll go first." The ginger tom measured the jump, then bunched his muscles and leapt into the air. For a terrible moment, Shadefrost though that he had jumped short but he eventually landed carefully on the wide ledge. Blinking down at her, he yowled, "Come on, it's easy."

Shadefrost felt her heart beat loudly. Her breath came in nervous gasps. Running her tongue over her teeth, she too measured the leap. "Don't look down," she murmured. "You'll be fine if you don't look down." Balancing skilfully on the narrow outcropping, she took a deep breath and jumped. She seemed to hang in the air for moons before crashing down awkwardly on the wider ledge.

Hissing, she pushed herself to her paws. "That was terrifying," she meowed, turning to Foxwhisker. But the ginger tom wasn't looking at her. He had padded out to the rim of the outcropping and was surveying the scene with wide eyes.

"Shadefrost," he murmured. "Look."

Shadefrost joined him at the edge and gasped. The view before them was breathtaking. The mountain range spread out for as far as the eye could see. The mountains themselves were magnificent, their sides scarred with glaciers and their peaks encrusted with snow. Valleys forged their way through the giant rocks, like long claw marks in the landscape. Wisps of cloud encircled some of the larger peaks and the setting sun reflected off the condensed water, making it glow in vibrant shades of pink and red. A stream trickled through a valley to the east, eventually widening into the river that ran through WaterClan territory. To the west lay the biggest mountain of all, its sides completely covered in ice and its peak invisible through a mask of cloud. There were no words to describe the sheer size of the mountain range, no words whatsoever.

"Wow," breathed Shadefrost, entranced by the view. Suddenly, a gust of icy wind slammed into her side, braking through her daze. She glanced at Foxwhisker. "I now deem our task impossible," she meowed, her whiskers twitching in sarcastic amusement. "Foxwhisker, there is no way that we are going to find the flying star in here, even if it is the size of a twoleg monster."

To her surprise, Foxwhisker shook his head, his eyes alive with excitement. "The stream," he mewed, thrusting his tail in the direction of the trickling water. "In my dream, I walk along a valley with a stream running through it."

Shadefrost frowned. "How does that help?"

Foxwhisker stared at her incredulously. "Shadefrost, don't you see? If we just follow the stream it should lead us to the cats in my dream!"

Shadefrost shook her head, wandering briefly how she could have been so mousebrained. "You're right," she said, her voice high-pitched with excitement. "If we can just get down to the stream then we can follow it." She smiled up at her clanmate. "Maybe this won't be so impossible after all."

Foxwhisker nodded. "We'll be fine once we get to the stream but we have to travel down there first." He surveyed the mountainside. "We can't go back down to that narrow ledge, we'd fall. And I don't think there's any other way down."

Shadefrost followed his eye line and saw that he was right. The rock face was smooth with nothing to jump down onto. She sighed. "I guess that we'll have to carry on going up, to the summit, and then climb down the other side."

Foxwhisker dipped his head. "That sounds like our best bet but we can do that at sunrise. For now, we need to rest." He inspected the outcropping.

Several large boulders were scattered over it, casting long shadows over the cold ground. Foxwhisker padded over to one of them and nosed under it. "This one has room for two cats," he mewed. "There's a dip in the ground that we can squeeze into." Wiggling his tail, he pushed his way under the boulder.

Shadefrost nodded and was about to follow him when a shift in the breeze made her pause. Pricking her ears, she listened for the disturbance. _Swish, swish._ Her heart beats quickened in fear. She often listened for a disturbance in the wind when she was hunting sparrows and jays but the beats that their wings made were small. These shifts were large and approaching fast. Shadefrost whipped around and gasped.

The largest bird she had ever seen flapped above her head, its eyes glistening with glee and its sharp talons glinting in the fading sunlight. Folding its massive wings into its side, it plummeted down towards her, its feathers ruffling in the wind. Shadefrost heard Foxwhisker desperately cry her name but she could not move towards his voice, her paws glued in place as the wings of death bore down upon her. Her mouth opened in a long and frantic cry and the talons reached out for her face.

* * *

**Poolheart's PV**

I can see the eagle diving from where I stand, on the summit of the mountain, heading for her. Her face is contorted in fear, her lips open in a long and terrible wail. She has only seconds left. And that mousebrain Foxwhisker is just standing there, doing nothing.

Fear and anger clutch my belly in their awful claws. I can't let her die. If she dies then there is no point in living. It's not that far a leap to the ledge where she faces her death. I can do it.

I spring off the mountainside, my powerful legs propelling me far into the air. Wind rushes past my face as I fall, my eyes fixed on the terrible scene below me.

I crash into the eagle moments before it's upon her and we both spiral towards the outcropping. It stretches out with its talons and claws at my face. Pain sears through me as it rips a jagged line across my cheek. Blood drips into my eyes but I do not slacken my grip.

We hit the ground hard and roll towards the edge. I hear a faint crack in one of my paws but do not feel any pain. I'm too angry to hurt. I claw savagely at the eagle, ripping out pawfuls of feathers and snapping its wings. It squawks in agony. If feel my hind legs slip over the edge of the outcropping and release the eagle in a desperate bid for survival. Falling over the edge would be fatal. The eagle, its power of flight destroyed, plummets down the mountain to its death. I'm so close to following it. I clutch the edge with one forepaw. The other hangs uselessly at my side, broken. I scrabble frantically with my back paws, but I cannot propel myself upwards. My paw begins to slip...

Suddenly, I feel teeth in my scruff, pulling me to safety. I lie breathlessly on the floor, blood dripping from the gash in my cheek, pain searing through my injured paw. But I am completely content and that's all that matters.

I saved her.

* * *

Shadefrost let Poolheart drop to the ground. Her limbs were stiff with shock. Death had been so certain but he had dropped out of the sky and saved her. Gratitude warmed her heart.

Foxwhisker raced over to her, his eyes wild with panic. "Shadefrost," he cried. "I'm so sorry. I should have saved you... I..."

Shadefrost slapped her tail over his mouth and purred shakily. "It's okay."

Foxwhisker nodded but did not look convinced. "Are you okay?"

Shadefrost opened her mouth to answer but stopped when Poolheart stirred. A groan escaped his lips and he mumbled, "Shadefrost."

Shadefrost gasped and crouched down beside him. "Poolheart?"

Poolheart's eyes opened a slit. "Shadefrost?"

"Yeah, it's me."

The gray tom looked at her happily. "I knew it was you," he purred. He rolled onto his stomach and shook his head, splattering blood on Shadefrost's pelt.

"Poolheart, you're bleeding!"

Poolheart raised a paw to his face and felt the deep slit there. "Foxdungy eagle," he hissed. He tried to raise himself to his paws, but crumbled with a gasp of pain.

Shadefrost looked at him, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"My paw," he hissed, lifting his left forepaw gingerly off the ground. "I must have hurt it when I landed."

Shadefrost nosed it tenderly. "It looks broken."

Poolheart winced. "That's great, just great."

Shadefrost murmured sympathetically. "We have to get you to a medicine cat as soon as possible." She turned to Foxwhisker. "Do you think the cats in your dream will have a medicine cat?"

Foxwhisker stiffened and his eyes, already shadowed, darkened further. "You talk as if he's coming with us."

"Isn't he?" Shadefrost said. "Where else would he go?"

"Back home?" Foxwhisker suggested. "To his clan."

"He can't!" Shadefrost protested. "What about his paw?"

Foxwhisker bared his teeth. "That's his problem."

Shadefrost stared at him, shocked. "How can you be so unkind?"

"Shadefrost, we have to journey too," Foxwhisker mewed, his voice softer. "Poolheart would only slow us down."

Shadefrost hissed, unsoothed by the ginger tom's words. "So we should just leave him to make his way to his clan injured. Foxwhisker that's not fair. Poolheart only has a broken paw because he saved me. Don't you think he deserves a favour in return?"

"Poolheart may have saved you but that doesn't make me trust him," Foxwhisker snarled. "He's a WaterClan cat!"

"He would never betray us," Shadefrost retorted, a strange certainty driving her words.

"How do you know?"

Not waiting for her answer, Foxwhisker skirted round to face Poolheart. "Why are you here?" he snarled, his hackles raised.

Poolheart, still sprawled on his stomach, bristled. "I acted of my own accord, if that's what you mean," he hissed. "My clan has nothing to do with it."

"Why are you here?" Foxwhisker repeated, growling.

Poolheart's eyes glinted. "I..." The gray tom broke off with a nervous glance at Shadefrost. "I wanted to help, that's all."

Foxwhisker lashed his tail. "Help do what? Help kill us? Your clan will be so proud."

"I told you," Poolheart roared, raising himself unsteadily on three paws. "My clan has nothing to do with it. I want to help you take care of Shadefrost."

"What?" Foxwhisker screeched, incredulously. "Why would you care about her? She's not in your clan."

"I..." Poolheart lowered his head, thinking. "Just because she's in a different clan doesn't mean we aren't friends."

Foxwhisker snarled and tensed his muscles. "Are you sure that you don't want more than that?" he cried, his voice raw with jealousy. "Because I tell you now, if you set a whisker on her then I will personally claw out your throat!"

Poolheart stared appalled at the ginger tom. "We're just friends," he protested, but something about his eyes was uncertain. "Nothing more."

Foxwhisker was not abated. "You're lying," he yowled.

Shadefrost watched horrified as her clanmate bunched his legs and sprung at the injured cat before him. Gasping, she flung herself in front of Poolheart. The impact as she and Foxwhisker met was breathtaking. The two WoodClan cats crashed to the ground and wrestled there for a moment until Foxwhisker pinned Shadefrost to the cold rock, digging his claws deep into her shoulders. She writhed in pain. "Foxwhisker, you're hurting me!"

Foxwhisker gasped and hastily sheathed his claws. "Shadefrost," he mewed. "I'm so sorry."

Shadefrost wriggled out of his grasp and backed away from him, blood trickling down her shoulders. "What's wrong with you?" she hissed, her voice shaking in shock and terror. What had happened to her gentle Foxwhisker?

"No!" Foxwhisker took a step towards her but she took another step back, towards Poolheart. "Shadefrost, no, I thought you were him! I would never hurt you."  
Shadefrost crouched beside Poolheart and felt his fur bristling against hers. "Even still," she murmured. "The fact that you could do that to Poolheart, when all he's done is help us, that's... that's..." She broke off and stared at Foxwhisker.

His eyes were maddened with jealousy and grief. "Shadefrost I... I love you! I'm just so _jealous_. It takes over me, makes me a cat that I'm not."

Shadefrost frowned. She loved Foxwhisker too but she had never thought that he could be so aggressive and violent. She remembered that Rootheart was his father but... Foxwhisker wasn't _like_ Rootheart. She knew that. She looked up at the ginger tom. "Why are you so jealous?" she asked.

Foxwhisker looked deep into her eyes. "Because I love you so much and I don't want to lose you."

Shadefrost felt Poolheart stiffen beside her. Ignoring the movement, she meowed, "You're not going to lose me. I love you too." She padded over so that she was only a tail length away from her clanmate. "But I'm still hurt. I can't believe that you don't trust me."

Foxwhisker took a step towards her. "Shadefrost, I do trust you!"

Shadefrost backed away so that the gap was the same. "No you don't," she mewed coldly. "If you did then you wouldn't be jealous. You would know that I would never be with any other tom but you." She gave him one last glance and then turned so that she looked out over the mountains. "I think we just need to be apart for a while," she mewed. "Until things calm down."

There was a scuffle as Foxwhisker sunk to his haunches. "Okay," he said, his voice sharp with pain. "If that's what you want."

Shadefrost nodded and grief flowed through her body. She didn't want to think about being apart from the tom she loved but she knew that it was for the best. She lowered her head and busied herself by licking the blood from her pelt. She winced at its metallic twang.

Suddenly, she felt a pelt brush hers and turned to see Poolheart gazing at her with affectionate eyes. "Are you okay?" he prompted.

"I'm fine." Shadefrost eyed the cut on his cheek and the way his paw hung limply in the air. He looked exhausted. "Are you tired?"

"Yeah," he mewed, blinking. "But you and Foxwhisker can sleep first. I'll keep guard."

Shadefrost nudged him. "Keep guard, with that paw. No way! You can sleep and me and Foxwhisker will take turns guarding." Poolheart opened his mouth to argue but Shadefrost flicked her tail gently over his mouth. "No buts, you're sleeping."

"Okay, if you're sure."

Shadefrost nodded and her neck fur prickled. A cat was watching them. Turning, she saw Foxwhisker glaring at Poolheart with such loathing and jealousy that she wouldn't be surprised if his eyes caught fire. She twitched her tail, Foxwhisker still didn't trust her. Couldn't he see that she was only friends with Poolheart? She padded over to the ginger tom. He glanced at her, his body stiff and his eyes blazing with pain. "Do you want to take guard duty first or second?" she asked him, trying not to convey her agony that resided in her eyes.

Foxwhisker coughed. "I'll guard all night," he said, looking down at his paws. "You can have a nice long sleep with _Poolheart._"

Shadefrost drew away, stung. "How can you say that?" she cried.

Foxwhisker shook his head. "Sorry," he muttered. "But I'm being serious. I want to do guard duty." He looked sadly away.

Shadefrost felt waves of grief tear through her body. Just that morning they had been so close and now... this. She longed to press up against him and feel his purrs reverberating in her ears but she knew that she couldn't. She could never truly love Foxwhisker if he didn't trust her. "Okay," she meowed flatly, beckoning Poolheart with her tail. "I'll see you at sunrise."

Foxwhisker nodded. "Yeah." The two of them stared at each other for a moment but then Foxwhisker gaze hardened and flicked to look at Poolheart. The dark gray tom returned the venomous stare and brushed up against Shadefrost. Jealousy flickered in Foxwhisker's eyes.

Poolheart leaned heavily on Shadefrost as they made their way to the boulder, a mixture of exhaustion and pain making his paws uncoordinated. Shadefrost crouched and squeezed into the dip under the rock. Poolheart let out a hiss of pain as he followed her. The dip was small but well sheltered from the harsh mountain winds. Poolheart's pelt rubbed up against hers and the two cats shared what warmth they had.

Poolheart purred. "This is cosy."

Shadefrost did not respond. Her eyes were fixed on the entrance, where she could just make out Foxwhisker's ginger pelt fluffed out against the cold. She longed to press against him, to warm him, for him to warm her.

Poolheart's head butted her flank. "Hey," he murmured gently. "You're not okay, are you?"

Shadefrost shook her head. "Seriously Poolheart, I'm fine."

Poolheart sighed. "You're not, I can tell." He shuffled closer to her, so that his whiskers brushed her cheek. "It's okay," he murmured. "It's okay to be upset. I can see that you and Foxwhisker are close."

Shadefrost turned to him, her eyes despairing. "I love him so much," she mewled. "But I need him to trust me. I don't know why he can't see that I would never love any cat more than him."

Poolheart's eyes flashed briefly in the semi-darkness. "You're sad," he meowed. "You're sad because of me."

"No!" Shadefrost touched her nose to his cheek. "It's not your fault." She paused and looked into his eyes. "I'm happy that you're here. You saved me. Thank you."

Poolheart shrugged modestly but his dark blue eyes glinted happily. "I couldn't let you die."

"Why did you follow us?" Shadefrost asked.

Poolheart smiled. "I was worried for you," he said, flicking her flank with his tail. "I thought you might get hurt so I tracked you along the valley. I lost your trail at the base of this mountain, so I decided to climb it to get a better view. I went up the other side of the mountain and spotted you from the summit."

Shadefrost blinked. "It's a good thing you did or I'd be dead." She eyed the cut on his cheek. "Does it hurt?"

Poolheart shrugged. "Not much. I should clean it."

Shadefrost placed her paw over his. "No," she breathed. "Let me." Carefully, she leaned towards him, her tongue extended. She gently lapped away the blood that matted his cheek fur, ignoring how stiff his body was and how he quivered each time her tongue touched his face. She moved on to the cut, clearing it from the grime of the eagle's claw. Poolheart stayed perfectly still, not wincing once.

"Thank you," he purred, as she moved away from him. His eyes glowed.

Shadefrost touched her paw to the gash. "Does it hurt now?"

Poolheart rubbed his cheek along her leg. "Not now."

Shadefrost's breath caught in her chest. The dark gray tom was so close, his handsome eyes boring into hers. She felt a sudden urge to snuggle into his chest fur and for him to wash her ears and tell her that everything was going to be okay. But then she remembered Foxwhisker, keeping guard outside. She could never do that to him. Coughing, she drew away from Poolheart and laid her head on her paws. There was a movement beside her as Poolheart adjusted his position and suddenly his pelt touched hers. It was soft, warm and comforting. Shadefrost snuggled closer and closed her eyes, letting sleep wash over her in an engulfing tide.

* * *

**Poolheart's POV**

The moonlight is strong on the mountain and it filters into the dip, making her fur shine gloriously. She looks so beautiful as she slumbers with her head resting lightly on her dainty paws. Her black and white pelt ripples as she slowly breathes, the moonlight radiating off its glossy surface. How I long to see it reflected in her perfect, leaf-green eyes. But part of me doesn't want her to wake. I don't want to see the pain in her gaze... pain for _him_.

Her words echo in my ears like unwanted demons. _I love him so much. _I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head, trying to ignore the voice that resides there. _Can't he see that I could never be with any other cat but him?_ My body shakes in jealousy. I know how Foxwhisker feels; I know the envy that flows through his veins. It runs in mine too.

A blast of cold air storms through the entrance of the makeshift den and she stirs in her sleep, her fur fluffing up against the cold. I shuffle closer, pressing my pelt close to hers, and draping my foreleg over her shivering shoulders. I pull her into my chest fur, where I am warmest. She relaxes immediately and purrs in her sleep, resting her head on my muscular shoulder. I stiffen, she's so close, her sweet scent drifting into my nose. I breathe in deeply, savouring the smell and gently rest my head on hers so that her soft ears tickle my chin. Relaxing, I close my eyes and wait for sleep to wash over me.

But she moves before it can. She squirms beneath me, yawning as she drifts out of her slumber. I remain completely still and squeeze my eyes tightly shut. She mustn't know I am awake. I don't know how she feels about me yet and she might get angry if she knows I am so close to her on purpose. I feel my leg slip from her shoulders as she raises herself to her paws. Something wet rasps my cheek and I realise that it is her tongue. Her purrs reverberate in my ears. I long to open my eyes so that I can gaze affectionately into hers but something tells me that I shouldn't. I should remain 'asleep'.

Her fur swishes past mine as she pads out of the dip and into the night air. I hear her teeth chatter and open my eyes slightly to check that she has really exited the den. She has and my eyes snap fully open. Rolling onto my stomach, I peer out onto the outcropping.

Foxwhisker is seated there. I can see why she's attracted to him – He's strong yet slim, his muscles rippling under his shiny ginger pelt. His eyes gaze intelligently out into the mountains and the wind ruffles his perfectly pointed ears. He's just an ordinary tom, probably popular among his clanmates and striving to be the best warrior he can be. But he has so much more than me; he has her. And because of that I just can't stand him.

She approaches him quietly, settling down about a tail length away. He does not look at her as he mews, "W hat do you want Shadefrost?" His voice is flat and emotionless.

She glances at him, her eyes pain filled but still as beautiful as ever. "I've been thinking," she meows, redirecting her gaze so that she is looking at the floor. "I think we should tell Poolheart."

I prick my ears in interest as my name is mentioned, sitting up slightly in the dip.

Foxwhisker sets his shoulders stiffly. "I don't agree."

She twitches her ears in annoyance. "Poolheart is travelling with us now; he has the right to know."

"And I have the right to who I do and who I don't tell about my dream." Foxwhisker's answer is instant.

Hidden away in the dip, I frown. Foxwhisker had told Ripplestar that Fallenstar had received a dream, not himself. This is all very strange. Slowly and painfully, I raise myself to my paws.

Out in the mountain air, she lashes her feathery tail. "Poolheart will figure it out anyway. What's he going to think when we reach the cats from your dream?"  
Foxwhisker bares his teeth in a growl. "Do you think I care what _he _thinks?"  
"You should care!" She's angry now, I can almost feel it radiating off her pelt. "If you won't tell him then I'll tell him myself."

He leaps to his paws and slaps his tail over her chest. "I don't want you to tell him."

She squirms against his grip. "He should know!"

"I don't trust him!"

"Well I do!"

"Shadefrost, if you dare tell him I'll..." He trails off and stares longingly into her eyes. Both of them are breathing heavily, their gasps the only things breaking the intense silence.

Quietly, I slip out of the dip and onto the outcropping, ignoring the agony that bites at my ankle. Taking a deep breath, I mew, "Tell me what?"

* * *

Foxwhisker's eyes bored deep into Shadefrost's, filled with love and agony. Frozen, she stared deep into their pale blue depths. Her breath came in sharp gasps, his tail restricting her lungs. He was also breathing heavily and his mouth formed silent words that would never be spoken.

A pebble shifted behind them and a voice mewed, "Tell me what?"

Foxwhisker gasped and leapt away from Shadefrost, whipping around to face the speaker. "Poolheart!" His face contorted into a fierce snarl. "You were eavesdropping, you filthy piece of foxdung!"

Shadefrost stared in shock at the handsome gray tom. His face stared defiantly back at Foxwhisker's. "So what if I was?" he hissed. "You're keeping something from me."

Foxwhisker lashed his tail. "You have no right to know."

"Apparently I do!" Poolheart's eyes flashed angrily. "You've lied to my leader, Foxwhisker, after she was so welcoming to you. What kind of a cat does that?"

Foxwhisker's eyes flickered momentarily, embarrassment and regret sweeping across their surfaces. "I did what was necessary."

"Necessary?" Poolheart yowled. "So what was it Foxwhisker? What was it that made it essential for you to lie?"

"WaterClan has no business meddling in WoodClan affairs."

Poolheart spat viciously. "WoodClan? This has nothing to do your clan. It's obviously very personal otherwise your medicine cat would have received this _dream_ not you." He gestured wildly with his tail. "Look around you Foxwhisker! We're in the middle of the mountains. The clans mean nothing up here. It's just me, you and Shadefrost. This is your clan now." He eyed Foxwhisker. "I'm with you, Foxwhisker, I'm on your side and you'll have to deal with that whether you like it or not!"

Foxwhisker opened his mouth to retort but Shadefrost got there first. "Oh for StarClan's sake," she cried, frustration boiling in her belly. "Would you just tell him Foxwhisker? Please."

Foxwhisker glanced at her and slowly nodded his head. "Okay," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I'll tell him for you; for you and only you."

Shadefrost gave him a grateful look. "He needs to know."

Foxwhisker merely nodded.

He turned reluctantly to Poolheart. "I told your leader that StarClan had sent Fallenstar a message saying that there were cats in the mountains and that they had a message for him. I told Ripplestar that Fallenstar had sent us to receive this message." He paused and took a deep breath. "That is not entirely true."

"Fallenstar did not receive a dream from StarClan – I did. In my dream I walk along a path between two mountains. A stream trickles under my paws. I walk along the path until I get to a single fir tree. Then I jump up onto this really narrow ledge right above my head. I make my way along the ledge and it disappears into a vertical drop. I look over the drop and I see a camp of cats. Three of the cats see me and they make their way up the cliff. They're impossibly agile. I try to run but my paws won't let me. I watch as the cats come towards me but just before they reach me it all goes black. It's so black that I can't even see myself. A voice rumbles in my ears saying, "You must go to the mountains Foxwhisker and help the flying star reach his full potential. But beware a stripe of snow for it is hiding something unexpected and familiar." I try to call out to the voice but it only fades and leaves me in darkness." Foxwhisker paused, shuddering at the memory of his dream. Sympathy rose in Shadefrost's chest, but she felt distant from Foxwhisker after their fight and feared approaching him.

The ginger tom eyed Poolheart critically. "There you go, that's the truth. Are you happy now?"

Poolheart frowned. "Do you know what it means? The dream?"

Foxwhisker hissed nastily. "What do you think?" Shadefrost stiffened, fearing another confrontation. Spotting the movement, Foxwhisker sighed. "We have no idea what the dream means," he continued in a calmer voice. "We want to find the cats that I saw and ask them about it."

Poolheart's laugh was humourless. "You want to find a group of cats in a place like this? Have you seen the size of the mountains?"

Foxwhisker growled. "Yes we have seen that dilemma. But we have come up with a solution."

Poolheart looked surprised. "What?" he asked, shifting his weight off of his injured paw.

"In my dream there is a stream," Foxwhisker explained. "We believe we've spotted the stream on the other side of this mountain." The ginger tom flicked his tail towards where the rushing water lay.

Poolheart's gazed in that direction. "I see," he murmured. He shot a glance at Foxwhisker before turning to Shadefrost, gazing at her with intellectual eyes. "But how can you be sure that it's the right stream?"

Shadefrost's breath caught in her chest as she stared back. "I-I don't think we can be sure," she mewed, captivated by his deep blue eyes. "But it's the best chance we have."

* * *

Wind howled through the peaks, carrying torrents of snow and ice. It swirled around the mountaintops before plummeting down to the ground below and pummelling the forms of three cats moving slowly through the valley. One was padding slightly ahead of the other two, its fur fluffed up against the cold. Behind it, a dark grey tom hobbled over the rocky surface, leaning heavily on the shoulder of a black and white she-cat.

The grey tom shouted over the snowstorm. "Shadefrost, I'm so sorry. I'm slowing us up."

"Don't be," the black and white cat replied. "There's nothing to be sorry for Poolheart. You saved me."

"I still feel bad about this," Poolheart yelled. "At least let me stand on the other side of you. I can shield you from the wind."

Shadefrost gritted her teeth as snow barraged into her side, chilling her to the bone. "No Poolheart, you're tired, hungry, and cold. You're in a lot of pain as well. There's no way I'm letting you suffer anymore for me."

Poolheart hissed. "But you're tired and hungry too. Please Shadefrost, I want to help."

Shadefrost frowned. There was truth in Poolheart's words. It had been two days since they'd left the outcropping on the mountain and started following the stream. After no more than a few hours of travelling, a snowstorm had sprung up, making it impossible to hunt or sleep properly. Shadefrost could not remember what it felt like to be warm or have a full belly. She was chilled to the bone and her stomach complained with every agonising step she took. She was on the verge of collapse but at the same time she was sure that Poolheart was suffering much more than her. Every movement the tom made was accompanied by a hiss of pain and Shadefrost was reminded all too often that it was her that had caused his injuries. Keeping him out of the storm's punishing winds was the least she could do.

She turned to face him, looking deep into his liquid eyes. "You've helped more than enough already Poolheart."

"No I haven't," the handsome grey tom mewed, stubbornness etched deep into his voice. "I..."

Shadefrost slapped her tail over his mouth. "I suffer more seeing you suffer," she said. "It is because of me that you are in pain."

Poolheart shook his head. "Shadefrost seriously, it's not your fault. I was the one who jum..." He was cut off as his paws slipped on some unforeseen ice. Unable to keep his balance, he crashed heavily to the ground, giving out an agonized yelp as his broken paw became trapped beneath him.

Shadefrost gasped. "Poolheart!" She bent down beside the tom. "Are you okay?"

Poolheart gritted his teeth. "I'm fine." Hissing, he attempted to raise himself to his paws but his hind legs buckled under the stress. Sighing, he let his head fall to the floor and closed his eyes.

Terrified, Shadefrost nosed his muzzle. "Poolheart? Come on, get up."

The WaterClan tom shivered uncontrollably. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I'm sorry Shadefrost, I just can't." He opened his eyes a slit. "Go, go on without me."

"No!" Shadefrost mewled. "I can't just leave you here!" She peered desperately through the torrent of snow, trying to catch sight of Foxwhisker. The ginger tom was nowhere to be seen. She turned back to Poolheart, feeling panic rise in her chest. "Don't worry," she whispered, touching her nose firmly to his forehead. "I'll be right back."

She spun around and raced up the valley, gritting her teeth as the stream under her paws froze her pads. She couldn't see more than a foxlength in front of her. "Foxwhisker!" she yowled.

Pawsteps – and her clanmate emerged through the snow in a glorious blur of ginger fur. "What is it?" he asked, his voice high-pitched with worry. "Are you okay?"

Shadefrost quickly touched her nose to his, thankful that he was there. He purred at the contact but his shoulders were tense. "I'm fine," she mewed. "But Poolheart, he fell."

Foxwhisker growled. "The mousebrain, how did he manage to do that?"

"Foxwhisker!" Shadefrost was angered by the venom in her clanmate's voice. "I'm scared Foxwhisker. He can't get up. I need you to come. Please."

Foxwhisker's fur bristled. "Alright," he meowed. "I'm coming. I'm not just going to let him die, even if he is a total mousebrain."

Shadefrost sighed, relived. "Thank you Foxwhisker." Whipping around, she led her clanmate back to where Poolheart had fallen.

There was a considerable build up of snow on the grey tom's pelt as he had not moved since Shadefrost had left him. "Oh StarClan," she breathed, rushing forward to crouch at his side. She quickly brushed the white from his body.

He stirred beneath her. "Shadefrost? Is that you?"

Shadefrost nodded vigorously, pressing her nose to his cheek. It was unbearably cold.

"It's so dark Shadefrost," murmured Poolheart slowly. "It's so dark where I am."

Fear sparkled in Shadefrost's chest. "No," she yowled, licking Poolheart's limp form in a vain effort to warm him. "Don't die, please don't die."

Poolheart's body racked with shivers. "I'm so cold," he breathed.

"No!" Shadefrost pressed her pelt close to his. She glanced up at Foxwhisker, her breath coming in panicked gasps. The ginger tom surveyed the scene before him, his eyes dark, his teeth bared. "Please," Shadefrost yowled at him. "Do something. He's dying!"

Foxwhisker blinked slowly. "Move," he hissed, his voice deep and unfamiliar.

Shadefrost frowned at him. "Why?" she asked, hissing as snow clouded her vision.

Foxwhisker flicked his tail at her. "Just move," he growled.

Shadefrost reluctantly shuffled away from Poolheart. The grey tom's breathing was weak and his pelt was soaked with melted snow. He shivered uncontrollably. Shadefrost felt panic threaten to overwhelm her – what would she do if he died?

Foxwhisker took a long hard look at Poolheart, his eyes masked with loathing, and suddenly lunged foreword and dug his teeth into the grey toms shoulder. Shadefrost leapt to her paws as Poolheart let out a cry of pain. Yowling, she leapt at Foxwhisker, bowling him away from the injured cat and pinning him down. "Are you out of your mind?" she screeched.

Foxwhisker did not struggle under her grasp. "Pain," he said flatly. His eyes burned intensely into hers.

Shadefrost dug her claws deep into his shoulders, hissing when he didn't even wince. "You know," she cried, her stomach churning with nausea. "I used to love you Foxwhisker! But now, now you're a completely different cat. Why would you do that to Poolheart? Why?"

Foxwhisker's eyes flashed, revealing the mental agony that he was feeling. "Swallowfeather told me," he hissed, his body tense. "Pain can wake even the deepest sleeping cat. I didn't do that to hurt Poolheart; I did it to save him."

Shadefrost went numb with shock. "Foxwhisker," she gasped, realising her mistake. "I'm sorry, I..."

"Is that what you think of me?" Foxwhisker cried out in agony. "You think that I would deliberately hurt another cat?" His eyes bored deep into hers, pools of hurt and longing. "We used to be so close, Shadefrost. But now, now something's gone wrong. We don't know each other anymore."

Shadefrost felt pain rip through her as she realised the truth in her clanmate's words. Grimacing, she released him from her grip. "Foxwhisker, I'm so sorry."

"I still love you," Foxwhisker said, his voice hoarse. "I'll always love you Shadefrost."

Shadefrost did not hear his words. "I was so sure that we were meant to be together. I loved you so much."Her voice cracked and she swallowed to regain it. "But if we can let a cat like Poolheart come between us then maybe this is not meant to be."

Foxwhisker stiffened and leapt to his paws. "What are you saying?" He gazed desperately at her.

"I'm saying that we can't keep doing this Foxwhisker," she mewed, each word hurting like claws to her heart. "I'm sick of fighting and I'm sick of your jealousy. I need to be with a cat that can trust me and that cat is obviously not you."

Foxwhisker took a step towards her. "Please," he begged, softly. "Please don't do this to me Shadefrost."

Shadefrost backed away. "I have to. I'm sorry Foxwhisker."

"But I love you." Foxwhisker's mew was pleading, his eyes were desperate.

Shadefrost sighed and turned away from him, waves of agony ripping through her. "That doesn't matter anymore," she said, only just loud enough to be heard over the roaring wind. "We just have to face it Foxwhisker. It's over."

**Sorry it had to end on such a downer. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I do appreciate it even if I'm not writing this anymore:)**

**I'm probably not going to update this again. I'm currently writing something of my own thats not a rip off warriors and I just don't have time for this anymore. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed writing fanfics, it entertained me for many years but I feel that I need to write my own ideas if I am ever going to mature as a writer. I hope you understand and thanks to everyone who has read this so far. I hope you enjoyed that last VERY, VERY long chapter. **

**BTW, if anyone wants to take up this idea and finish it, feel free. I'd really like to see how it ends up. Just PM me and I'll tell you how I was going to finish it and you can tweak it if you want:)**

**Bye and thank you!**

**Featheredwing.**


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